Police officers with the body of a suspect who shot and killed during an altercation in Berea, Durban.
Image: Doctor Ngcobo/Independent Media
A son of a retired Durban Central police officer, who also worked as a court orderly, was shot and killed on Botanic Gardens Drive in Berea, Durban, on Wednesday.
The deceased, believed to be in his twenties, was shot and killed after he allegedly attempted to rob a police officer at knifepoint of his mobile phone. Reports indicate that the man had previous encounters with law enforcement agencies.
According to friends of the deceased who were at the scene and requested to remain anonymous, the man was involved in another shooting incident in January but survived after being struck five times.
“He was very notorious; he was always in trouble. After being shot several times in January, he had to undergo a surgical procedure to remove the bullets that were embedded in his body,” said the friends.
“At the time of his death, he was out on R10,000 bail on a separate matter,” they added.
His parents and sibling, who arrived at the scene, were visibly shaken. His father declined to comment.
ALS Paramedics confirmed in a statement that the incident occurred around 7:30 a.m.
“Paramedics arrived on the scene to find SAPS and multiple security personnel in attendance and were shown a male, believed to be in his twenties, who had sustained a gunshot wound to his head. Paramedics assessed the man and found that he had sustained fatal injuries and was declared dead at the scene,” the statement read.
According to ALS, it is alleged that the man attacked a SAPS official, who retaliated, resulting in his death.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda did not comment at the time of publishing.
The incident occurred two days after an inmate at Ntuzuma Police Station was shot dead by police after allegedly holding six officers hostage. Ndumiso Ngubane, a 21-year-old traditional healer, was killed after police responded tactically to the situation.
At the time, police said Ngubane had been in custody since Saturday for allegedly terrorising his family. His actions on Monday were described as an act of retaliation against the police.
This is a developing story.
DAILY NEWS