Durban – The Durban metro police constable who died in a mass killing at his city flat on Monday committed suicide, police have confirmed, most likely after shooting and killing four other people and injuring four more.
Police have also confirmed the death of a fourth person who sustained serious injuries during the shooting and was initially hospitalised. The other three deceased, including the officer, were pronounced dead at the scene.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Colonel Thembeka Mbele, told the African News Agency (ANA) on Tuesday that an inquest docket had been opened related to the officer’s suicide.
“Following the investigations of today, I can confirm an inquest docket has been opened [relating to the officer,” said Mbele.
She said while police spoke about an inquest and not a suicide, a murder-suicide was being investigated.
Mbele said police were investigating three murders, one inquest docket and four cases of attempted murder. The four remaining victims who were injured in the shooting were still hospitalised, she said.
The shooting took place at about midday at the constable’s first floor flat in a block called Teesav, located just behind the Durban High Court on J.N Singh Street (formerly Baker Street).
The 39-year-old officer, based at Albert Park, was off-duty at the time of the incident.
A police delegation met with the family of the officer on Monday, Durban Metro Police Spokesperson, Senior Superintendent Parboo Sewpersad, told ANA on Monday night.
When they arrived at the scene on Monday, paramedics described the flat where the killings took place as “a blood bath”.
One firearm was recovered at the scene.
According to witnesses, there appeared to be some sort of gathering at the flat before multiple shots were heard.