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Police killed three people in Inanda suspected of being responsible for the death of a sergeant in 2023. (@SAPoliceService/X)
A police shootout resulted in the death of three people on Tuesday evening.They are believed to behind the 2023 murder of a police officer.One person escaped and is still at large.Three people wanted for murder were killed in a shootout with police in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday evening.
According to police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda, the three men, “who have been on police’s radar for some time”, were wanted for a string of murders, including the 2023 murder of a police sergeant.
They were killed in the Congo area of Inanda.
A multidisciplinary team followed up on intelligence that the wanted men were at a house in Nombonjani Mtshali Road. When police arrived, four people opened fire on them, said Netshiunda. They fired back.
“After the shootout, three suspects were found to have sustained fatal gunshot wounds and were declared dead at the scene. One suspect narrowly escaped arrest and ran into the darkness. A manhunt for him is currently under way,” said Netshiunda.
READ | 30 people have been killed in police shootouts
It is believed the three men were behind the murder of KwaMashu Tracking Team officer, Sergeant Yekani Siboniso Thabete. The 37-year-old was disarmed and his service pistol was used to shoot him in June last year.
They were also thought to be linked to a double murder in Inanda in January, as well as two murder cases registered in 2021 and 2023.
#sapsKZN Three suspects who were #wanted for a string of murders, including the 2023 murder of a police Sergeant were shot and fatally wounded in a shootout with police at the Congo area of Inanda on Tuesday evening. ME pic.twitter.com/XP12dM6Ala
— SA Police Service ???? (@SAPoliceService) July 23, 2024Police Minister Senzo Mchunu extended “his heartfelt commendation” to the team of officers.
“In a decisive and high-stakes operation, our brave men and women tracked down the suspects responsible for this callous act,” he said.
Mchunu expressed his “deep appreciation for the SAPS officers’ unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our communities”.
“The loss of a police officer in the line of duty is a profound tragedy, not only for the family and colleagues of the fallen officer but for the entire nation. To the members of the KwaZulu-Natal SAPS, your bravery and dedication are a testament to the spirit of our police force. We are immensely proud of your actions and will continue to support you in every way possible.”
More than 30 people have been killed in police shootouts since the start of April, News24 previously reported.
Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi revealed this at a media briefing in Durban on Friday.
Mkhwanazi said: “These were hardened criminals who were found in possession of firearms, some of them high-calibre rifles. It is important for me to mention that police investigate to arrest the suspects and take them through the justice system.
“However, if suspects shoot at police officers and put their lives in danger, police will retaliate with proportional force to save their lives and those of innocent community members.”
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