Cop shot in face while parked on the street

A Cape Town police officer is fighting for his life after being shot in the face while sitting in his official vehicle.

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Cape Town - This officer nearly became the latest victim of deadly attacks on our men in blue.

Constable Baxolele Tshetshe is lucky to be alive after being shot twice in the face, while sitting in his official vehicle parked outside his girlfriend’s home in Galweni Street, Gugulethu.

The Mitchells Plain SAPS officer is fighting for his life in Groote Schuur Hospital.

On Monday, Constable Lindekile Sikade, 39, was shot and killed outside his home in Philippi East and robbed of his service firearm.

At about 12:30am, Baxolele, 32, was shot and robbed of his phone.

The girlfriend’s brother, who asked not to be identified, says he heard shots being fired shortly before 1am.

“I had got up to smoke when I heard a gunshot and then glass shattering,” he says.

“I heard a voice shouting at my sister to not open the door, or to close it.

“The next minute I see this man coming into the house with blood pouring down his face, he’d been shot in the face and you could still see the bullet lodged inside.”

The woman was unscathed.

Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana says two males came up to the officer’s car and fired three shots through the window.

“The member was wounded, thereafter the suspects fled with his cellular telephone,” she says.

“No one has been arrested as yet.”

On Thursday, the cop’s relatives were at the hospital where he was due to have the bullet in his face removed.

Acting National Police Commissioner, General Khomotso Phahlane, condemned the attacks on his officers.

Phahlane was visiting Constable Sikade’s family to offer support to his widow and three children, including a newborn baby.

Sikade was also in his official vehicle when he was attacked leaving for work at Grassy Park SAPS.

“It is terrible to know that our member can be shot after 6am while driving out of his house and nobody saw anything,” says Phahlane.

“Our members have become statistics.”

Daily Voice