Cape Town – Two men have died after they and two accomplices attempted to hijack a police officer driving his private vehicle to work.
The officer was accompanied by two passengers on Wednesday when the quartet confronted him in Mew Way at around 5.20am, said Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson Grace Langa. Ipid is investigating the incident.
After they had pointed firearms in his direction, Langa said, he ’’fired shots at the African male who was standing on the driver’s side and also fired shots at the other male suspects that were also attempting to hijack him at the traffic intersection’’.
One of the hijackers died at the scene, while a wounded accomplice was taken to Khayelitsha Day Hospital, where he later died.
Langa said the two other suspects fled from the scene and were still at large. Two imitation firearms were found on the deceased.
The deceased men, aged 19 and 20, were later identified as residents of the Island informal settlement in Khayelitsha.
Last month, a 35-year-old police officer was shot dead in Eerste River in the early hours.
He was shot in the neck during the alleged hijacking and was transported to a nearby hospital, where he died from his injuries. The officer had been stationed at Lentegeur’s visible policing unit.
IOL