Uitenhage - A 12-year-old girl is receiving treatment in hospital after she was hit by a police bullet in Kamesh, Uitenhage, Eastern Cape police said on Sunday.
An Uitenhage detective tried to apprehend a man for motor vehicle theft in Kamesh on Saturday, said Warrant Officer Marianette Olivier.
The man apparently resisted arrest and ran away.
In response, the detective fired a warning shot, which ricocheted and hit the girl's leg.
She is in a stable condition in Uitenhage Provincial Hospital.
Olivier said the man suspected of theft is still at large.
She said police are investigating a case of attempted murder against the detective.
Brigadier Zamuthango Mki, Uitenhage cluster commander said: “We are committed to rooting out criminal elements in our society wherever they are. It is however very unfortunate that a child was shot during the attempted arrest”. - Sapa