Cape Town - A cop allegedly went on a shooting spree, killing one person and wounding six before going on the run with his son.
Police members were called to the scene on Sunday afternoon in Witsands, Atlantis, where they found the body of a woman inside a house in Hector Petersen Street.
Six others persons, including the cop’s estranged wife, were transported to nearby hospitals.
The constable, who cannot be named, is stationed at Table View Police Station.
Close friends reveal he was “deeply depressed” while going through a divorce with his wife.
A friend, who was at the scene, on Sunday told the Daily Voice the man had sought help from his employer to deal with the separation.
“His wife had a protection order against him and he was evicted from the house because of this,” explains the insider.
“He wanted assistance from the police. He was going through a rough time.”
Witnesses at the scene claim the cop drove to the house where the wife and other family members were meeting and that an argument broke out before shots were fired.
A neighbour says he watched the cop flee with the scene with his child: “He got into his car with the child and he sped off.”
The age of the child is not known.
Moses Dlamini, spokesperson for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), says cops are now hunting for the missing cop.
“Our office has just received a call from Atlantis Police Station where a member has shot and killed a family member and wounded another six people,” Dlamini said on Sunday afternoon.
“He took his young child and his whereabouts are currently unknown and police are searching for him. Investigators have gone to the scene.”
The husband of the dead woman also arrived at the scene.
“I do not know what happened,” he said while waiting for her body to be removed from the scene.
“I was at work when I received the call that she had been shot dead. I don’t know if there was an argument.”