Cop’s son, 12, shoots teen neighbour

The 12-year-old old son of a police officer is facing an attempted murder charge after allegedly shooting his teenage neighbour, using a pistol believed to belong to a criminal. FILE PHOTO: Jason Boud

The 12-year-old old son of a police officer is facing an attempted murder charge after allegedly shooting his teenage neighbour, using a pistol believed to belong to a criminal. FILE PHOTO: Jason Boud

Published Jan 5, 2015

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Johannesburg - The 12-year-old old son of a police officer is facing an attempted murder charge after allegedly shooting his teenage neighbour, using a pistol believed to belong to a criminal.

The boy was arrested in Phumula, Alberton, on Friday after he allegedly shot his 15-year-old neighbour in the abdomen.

The boy, the son of a warrant officer stationed at Jabulani police station in Soweto, is said to have shot the girl in his room as they fought over the firearm.

“The motive for the shooting is not known but the boy said he was moving the firearm and the girl grabbed it,” said Germiston police spokesman Sergeant Phora Nkuna.

“They started to pull the firearm in opposite directions and a shot went off.”

The girl was taken to Natalspruit Hospital and was in a serious but stable condition.

The boy was arrested and charged with attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm, before being taken to Walter Sisulu Child and Youth Care Centre, a place of safety in Noordgesig, west of Joburg.

Police believe the pistol used by the boy belonged to a parolee who used to visit their home.

“The boy said the firearm belongs to a guy who is a criminal… He used to visit a cousin of the boy who does not stay there anymore,” Nkuna said.

The man, whose name is known to The Star, is a parolee at Boksburg Prison and, according to Phora, he is in Limpopo, where he went two weeks ago.

The boy’s father confirmed the gunowner was on parole after being convicted of the possession of an unlicensed firearm.

The cousin had been asked to leave the house three weeks ago.

Nkuna said the police did not know how the boy had got hold of the gun.

“It is possible the firearm was left there by the time the cousin was kicked out, but everything is still under investigation. Remember, to interview a minor, certain people must be present.”

The boy was due to appear in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

Meanwhile, a 15-year-old girl was found murdered in a back room in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni, on Saturday morning.

“The room was being rented by someone who is believed to be her boyfriend,” police spokesman Major Mack Mngomezulu said.

The girl’s family said they had last seen her on Friday afternoon and had expected her to come home later that day.

“It is unknown what the motive was. Her throat was cut with a sharp object,” Mngomezulu said.

The teen’s boyfriend was found in the Daveyton area on Sunday and was taken in for questioning. He was later released.

Police would conduct DNA tests on his clothing.

Mngomezulu said the police were urging residents to come forward with any information on the murder.

The girl’s body was taken to the Springs mortuary.

Additional reporting by Mpiletso Motumi

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The Star

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