Durban - Police have shot and killed one of the men wanted for the massacre of the five family members in the Nteke area in Mariannhill, in KwaZulu-Natal, after a shootout on Wednesday.
A week ago, a family of five was shot multiple times. Four of the five family members died at the scene and the other died in hospital on arrival.
Members of the Provincial Organised Crime Unit as well as the KwaNdengezi police managed to locate two of the men who were involved in the killing in Mariannhill.
“Investigations led police to Umbumbulu where police spotted two of the suspects walking along a gravel road. When the police attempted to apprehend the suspects, it is alleged that they opened fire at police officers who also responded. One suspect was fatally wounded whilst the second managed to escape during the shootout. Police investigations to arrest the suspect who escaped continues in earnest,” the police said in a statement.
Major General Bheki Langa, KwaZulu-Natal Acting Provincial Commissioner welcomed the new development in the investigation.
“This gives me hope and shows that the investigation team is not resting. We hope that those who have managed to evade arrest will be arrested soon,” Langa said.
Earlier, police had followed a lead into the murders which led them to the Nteke area where they arrested three men and a fourth was arrested later, who was in possession of an unlicensed firearm and eleven rounds of ammunition. The men were said to be between age 21 and 30.
After the first arrest, Langa said: “We will not tolerate people who kill innocent members of our community. We are confident with the investigating team that they will present a well prepared docket to secure a successful prosecution of the culprits.”