Cop fighting for his life after ambush

Tshwane Metro Police officers who responded to a complaint about criminal activities at an informal settlement were attacked and shot at by four suspects.

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Pretoria - A Tshwane Metro Police officer is fighting for his life after being shot and critically wounded at Gomora informal settlement in Pretoria West on Tuesday.

According to the TMPD, five officers responded to a complaint about criminal activities at the settlement and were attacked and shot at by four suspects resulting in the officer being wounded; another was assaulted.

“They were both rushed to the nearest hospital. The officer who was shot is in critical condition while the assaulted officer sustained minor injuries,” said TMPD spokesman Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba.

He said both South African Police Service and TMPD officers rushed to the scene after officers called for back-up. “They arrested three suspects aged between 28 and 31 and are hunting for the fourth suspect who is still at large and believed to be with the official firearm taken from the scene.”

Community members said the officers were ambushed by the four suspects. A resident who witnessed the incident but refused to be named said the four suspects had been engaging in illicit activities when they were surprised by two of the five officers.

“These guys were sitting outside smoking nyaope. The officers arrived and started questioning them, but I don’t know if they introduced themselves because they were wearing civilian clothes,” said the resident.

“One of those boys (suspects) took an officer's gun and started shooting. The other one was just beaten up.”

tankiso.makhetha@inl.co.za

Pretoria News