Cape Town – Faced with the prospect of being arrested and possibly spending several years behind bars, an Eastern Cape hijacking suspect shot himself in the head.
The deceased and his alleged accomplice had been heading in the direction of Mount Aylif, near the province’s border with KwaZulu-Natal, on the N2 on Saturday morning when they got cornered in a Ford Fiesta by officers attached to the Alfred Nzo District highway patrol unit, police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said.
The car was allegedly hijacked in Msobomvu, Butterworth, 265km from Mount Aylif.
’’It is alleged that during the early hours of Saturday morning, the Highway Patrol Unit received information regarding a motor vehicle, a blue Ford Fiesta, that had been hijacked in Msobomvu,’’ Naidu said.
’’At about 07:00 on Saturday, members of the Highway Patrol Unit were still holding observation on the N2, opposite Chithwa... when they spotted a vehicle fitting the description of the wanted vehicle.
’’As they stopped the vehicle, two males, one armed with a firearm, alighted and started running in different directions. SAPS members mobilised backup and chased the suspects on foot,’’ Naidu said.
The man fired at the police officers while trying to flee.
’’As the members closed in on the suspect, he allegedly shot himself in his head. He died on the scene. A 9mm pistol was found next to him (serial number filed off),’’ Naidu said.
An inquest docket has been opened and the firearm will be sent to the forensics unit for further analysis.
IOL