Johannesburg - “He made a decision to protect his family but lost his life defending them.” Those were the words of the relatives of a man who was killed in the presence of his 12-year-old son.
It is alleged that two armed men gained entry to Shaun Lipshitz’s Bedfordview home through a window just before 9pm on Monday.
“The man was surprised by two armed men in his house. When the suspects pointed at the owner with their firearms, he also drew his firearm. A shootout ensued in which all three were shot dead,” said police spokeswoman Julia Claassen.
“Three firearms were recovered, one being (that of the) owner, and two others have been sent to police for ballistic tests,” she said.
While police searched the security-fenced home of IT specialist Lipshitz on Tuesday, a few houses away, in the quiet suburban area of Senderwood, mourners arrived at the home of Lipshitz’s brother, where the funeral arrangements were being made.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Reva Goldsmith described the father-of-three as a man who adored his family.
“The family are in complete shock. How do we recover? How do the kids recover when their father is gone?” she asked, adding: “He’d go to the moon for his family. He gave his life for his children.”
Claassen confirmed that Lipshitz’s wife and children had been taken for counselling.
Bedfordview Community Policing Forum spokeswoman Marina Constas said they understood that “they (the suspects) came over the wall from an open piece of land from Wordsworth Avenue”.
“This has indeed disturbed the residents,” said Constas, adding that last week another family had been held at gunpoint just a few houses away.
“They stole goods and left without killing anyone. We are not sure if these people are linked.”
The Star