Cape Town - A 37-year-old police officer died after being shot while trying to arrest a man wanted for murder and robbery in Khayelitsha on Thursday night.
The 24-year-old wanted man was arrested soon afterwards, police spokesman FC van Wyk said.
“At about 19.30pm, a police detective based at Lingelethu West police station was shot in Khayelitsha while pursuing a suspect wanted for murder and robbery.
“Swift response from colleagues resulted in the arrest of a 24-year-old suspect.
“Circumstances of the incident are under investigation.”
Van Wyk said the detective’s name was being withheld as his family had yet to be notified.
It is believed the officer was from KwaZulu-Natal.
His death brought to at least seven the number of police officers killed this year.
Contacted for comment on on Thursday night’s shooting, Western Cape police commissioner Arno Lamoer declined to comment. He referred enquiries to the Lingelethu police station commander.
“I am on leave. The incident is confirmed. Please check with Khayelitsha police,” he said.
Western Cape Community Safety MEC Dan Plato said the detective died in hospital. He sent his condolences to the officer’s family.
“I am deeply saddened and extremely angered to have learnt that yet another of the province’s bravest men in blue have been shot in cold blood in Khayelitsha today.”
In February, an officer died and another was wounded when they came under fire while responding to a robbery at a house in Kraaifontein.
On April 16, Steven Britz was killed while on duty in the Klapmuts police charge office. He was manning the charge office alone just after 11pm while two colleagues were out on vehicle patrol.
Also in April, Nokulunga Jako was knocked down and died when she and fellow officers tried to stop a hijacked car in Strand
.
On July 1, three police officers were shot dead. One was off-duty and was killed in Mfuleni. The other two were shot dead in their patrol van in Nyanga and their service firearms were stolen.
Cape Times