Suicide mission dad and son arrested in PE

Stock photo: sxc.hu

Stock photo: sxc.hu

Published Oct 21, 2013

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Port Elizabeth - A father and son, who walked into a Port Elizabeth pharmacy on Monday and asked for help committing suicide, have been arrested, Eastern Cape police said.

“The SA Police Service successfully penetrated the pharmacy via the tactical response unit by using two stun grenades,” said Captain Stanley Jarvis.

“The situation has been defused after several hours of negotiations between the chief negotiator... failed to persuade the two hostage-takers to hand themselves over.”

He said the condition of the two men could not be determined yet.

The 53-year-old man and his 19-year-old son entered the Seaview pharmacy around midday on Monday and demanded that the staff give them injections to commit suicide.

The father and son were given two injections which were just tranquillisers, Jarvis said earlier in the day.

After taking the medication, the men allowed staff to leave the pharmacy.

Witnesses informed police that one of the men was carrying a gun while the other had an explosive device. The two had not made any demands, except that police should not enter the shop. The rest of the complex was also evacuated.

Sapa

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