Paul was killed in the early hours of Thursday morning at the Swapo informal settlement in Pietermaritzburg while tracing a suspect on an attempted murder case.
Durban - “My husband died a hero serving his country.”
Those were the words of Tanya Paul, whose policeman husband, Sergeant Jeremy Martin Paul, was allegedly killed by a suspect.
Paul was killed in the early hours of Thursday morning at the Swapo informal settlement in Pietermaritzburg while tracing a suspect in an attempted murder case.
National police spokesperson Colonel Brenda Muridili said Paul, of the Mountain Rise SAPS, was allegedly shot and killed while next to the suspect’s shack.
“Shots came from inside the shack. The suspect then fled the scene, but was later engaged in a shootout with police where he sustained fatal gunshot wounds. The suspect, 32-year-old Lesotho national, was found in possession of three firearms and ammunition, including a firearm belonging to the police officer he had just allegedly killed,” said Muridili.
Tanya, 34, of Bombay Heights, said she and her three daughters never got to see her husband or say goodbye to him.
“He left in the early hours of Thursday morning and we expected him home before the kids left for school. I always feared for his safety. Before he leaves home I always pray over him. But on a Thursday he would leave without waking us because we have a baby and he knows she wakes up in the night,” said Tanya.
She said Paul was passionate about his job.
“He lived for his family and his job. He said he had a calling for the police. He always told me don’t worry but if anything has to happen to me and you see police coming to your door you must know I’m gone.
“On Thursday morning I received calls from people asking if everything is okay because there were messages on social media. But when I saw the police come to my house I knew something was wrong,” she said.
Tanya described her husband of 15 years as a loving, kind, gentle soul.
“He was always on the frontline. At work they called him ‘The Hulk’. He died a hero serving his country,” she said.
Paul's longtime friend Sergeant Cameron Marion described him as a humble, quiet person who loved his family.
“We met in 2003 as reservists and had lived together in Gauteng for four years. We would go fishing together and have braais and get togethers with our families.”
Marion, who works at the Criminal Record Centre, said when he got the call of Paul’s passing, he went to the crime scene.
“I processed the crime scene and it was very difficult. I had to keep things together for members on scene as well,” said Marion.
Tributes of condolences have been pouring in on social media, with one referring to Paul as “a gentle giant”.
Paul was laid to rest yesterday. He is survived by wife Tanya and daughters Cherise, Clio and Ezra.