Three robbers killed in Joburg gunfight

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Published Jan 13, 2014

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Johannesburg - Three suspects were shot dead in a high-speed chase from Westdene that ended in a “movie-style” shoot-out between the police and robbers in Braamfontein om sunday night.

An unconfirmed number of suspects were driving around in a Toyota Quantum when police noticed suspicious activity at a business in Westdene at about 8pm.

One of the suspects saw the police, jumped out of the vehicle and shot at them.

After the police confronted the robbers, the criminals fled in the minibus, said SAPS spokeswoman Constable Ndivhuwo Mulamu.

About 5km away, residents of Braamfontein then witnessed the shoot-out between the cops and robbers at the corner of Smit and Biccard streets when the criminals crashed into another car and tried to run away.

“They (the police) had to dodge behind their cars,” said Sid Marera, who watched the shoot-out from the window of his flat on Smit Street.

He said he was watching TV when he heard the sound of gunfire.

He said the gun battle lasted two minutes, during which about 12 shots were fired.

Calling it a “movie-style” shoot-out he said. “I was a bit scared.”

Mulamu said one of the men was shot dead on the scene; another two were pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

 

The police would not reveal the name of the Westdene business. Neither would they say what goods were stolen or what the value was.

A case of robbery has been opened.

Several witnesses took to Twitter to describe what they saw. “Wow. ive never been this close to a gun shooting before. So disturbing,” tweeted @mitta_sa.

The Star

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