Cape Town motorist kills alleged hijacker

File picture: Independent Media

File picture: Independent Media

Published Apr 24, 2017

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Cape Town - A Manenberg legal firearm owner was potentially saved by his spare magazine from four armed suspects who had attempted to hijack his vehicle.

On Friday night police officers rushed to the source of gunfire in Aries Street, Manenberg where they found a 27-year-old man lying on the ground with a fatal gunshot wound.

“The victim was fatally shot in reportedly an attempted hijacking. A 38-year-old man sustained an injury to his leg during this incident and received medical treatment. A firearm was recovered on the scene that was used in the shooting of the 38-year-old man with no arrests as yet,” said police spokesperson FC Van Wyk.

A woman who lives in Molopo Road and did not want to be named, said the shooting started in Aries Street where four suspects attempted to hijack a car of a man who lives in the same street.

“He was defending himself from his attackers and he pulled out his licensed firearm. There was an exchange of gunfire and the suspect ran into our street (Molopo Road) where he collapsed and died. The other three fled and are still at large. The attempted hijacking victim was extremely lucky because during the exchange of gunfire several shots struck him, but the impact was absorbed by his spare magazine. This potentially saved his life. An alert Marine Unit member found the assailant’s firearm still lying on the ground close to where the deceased attacker was lying,” she said.

The family of the man didn’t want to speak because of fears for their safety.

Resident of Aries Street said they live in fear now as those two streets are very quiet and it is the first time something like this has happened.

“I moved into the street a few months ago and I moved here because I heard it was a peaceful street. My daughter works late hours and now I’m scared because she also has a car and she was returning from the store when she heard gunshots, which made her come running back home. We hope that the police will find the other suspects and we are happy that the man had a licensed firearm to protect himself.”

FC Van Wyk said anyone with any information about this incident is requested to contact Manenberg SAPS 0216999400 or Crime Stop on 0860010111.

Cape Argus

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