Rustenberg - A suspected robber was shot dead in a gun battle with the police in Marikana near Rustenburg, North West police said on Tuesday.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said Marikana police were on a patrol at the Marikana Central Business District (CBD) when they received information about a business robbery in progress at one of the clothing retail stores on Monday.
"They quickly responded and spotted the suspects who ran to a nearby informal settlement. Allegedly, one of the suspects shot at the police who returned fire. In the process, one of the suspects was fatally wounded," he said.
"The police found a Taurus .38 special revolver together with five rounds of ammunition in his possession. The other suspect managed to run away and evaded arrest."
He said the police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) was summoned to the scene and were investigating an inquest docket, while the police were investigating an attempted business robbery as well as the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Last week, armed men shot dead a security guard at one of the supermarkets in Marikana and made off with undisclosed amount of money.