Rustenburg – A man was gunned down and another arrested following a shootout with the police in Oukasie near Brits, North West police said.
Spokesperson Captain Sam Tselanyane said the police were responding to a business robbery on Tuesday.
Tselanyane said it was alleged that a 31-year-old bottle store manager in Masenkeng Section was hit in the face with a firearm by one of the two armed suspects who entered the store at about 10.30am.
“Furthermore, the suspect fired one shot and instructed the victim to lie down. Thereafter, the suspects forced the victim to open a storage room where they took an undisclosed amount of cash, an iPad and an iPhone, as well as mixed brands of cigarettes,” Tselanyane said.
He said police were informed about the incident and responded, and four men matching the description of the suspects were spotted near the railway line.
“As the police approached the men who were armed with handguns, they allegedly shot at the police who returned fire. Consequently, the suspects fled in the direction of a nearby field of lucerne. One of the suspects dropped a firearm whilst fleeing and was eventually cornered and apprehended at a nearby shack.”
He said the police called for back-up. A second man allegedly emerged from the bushes and shot at the police.
Tselanyane said a chase ensued after the suspect fled on foot until the entrance to Oukasie at Masenkeng Section, where the shootout continued.
“In the process, the suspect was fatally wounded while a police officer was also shot in the left wrist. A Girsan 9mm Parabellum handgun with a filed off serial number and loaded with five live rounds as well as 16 ammunition in a box and one Nokia cellular phone were found in his possession,” he said.
“Moreover, at the Lucerne field, members recovered a Glock 17 handgun that was dropped by the arrested suspect, also with the serial number filed off and loaded with 16 live rounds."
He said a case of business robbery, two counts of attempted murder, possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition as well as inquest docket were registered.
The arrested man, aged 38, was expected to appear in the Brits Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.
IOL