Chatsworth SAPS Station Commander Brigadier Ruth De Villiers handed certificates of appreciation to the Chatsworth Task Team and praised the police officers for being brave enough to face the barrel of the gun when confronted with criminals during a business robbery in Shallcross recently.
“Our members were able to survive by using their skills and tactics during the shoot-out with the criminals. We have previously warned criminals not to shoot at our police officers but to rather surrender to police when they are approached. Our police officers have been trained to defend themselves when attacked by criminals,” she said.
Chatsworth SAPS Communications Officer, Captain Cheryl Pillay said, on Monday, 4 July 2022 at around 5:30pm, the team responded to a business robbery in Shallcross.
“The suspects opened fire on police when police intercepted them at an informal settlement. One suspect was fatally wounded by police. Police recovered an unlicensed revolver together with cash taken from the robbery. Police further recovered a cellular phone and wallet belonging to one of the patrons at the supermarket. The suspects fled from the supermarket in the direction of the Bottlebrush Informal Settlement. Chatsworth Police Task Team immediately responded where they intercepted the suspects as they entered the informal settlement. Upon noticing the police, the suspects began shooting at police with police retaliating. Two suspects evaded police with one fatally wounded at the scene. Police seized one black revolver, ammunition, R870 in cash, one black wallet which belonged to the complainant and one cellular phone. During the shooting incident, a child from the informal settlement also sustained a gunshot wound. The child remains in a stable condition at a local hospital,” she said.
Spokesperson Amawele Emergency Services, Claude Subramodey said that paramedics found one man in his 30’s with multiple gunshot wounds.
He said: “Sadly there was nothing more we could do for the patient and declared dead at the scene. There was also a child between eight to ten years of age that was shot in the crossfire. He was transported privately to hospital.”
Cpt Pillay added that detectives from the Serious and Violent Crimes Unit are working around the clock in search of the suspects who are at large.
“Police are investigating cases of business robbery, possession of homemade firearms and possession of unlicensed ammunition in terms of the Firearm Controls Act 60 of 2000 following the incident,” she said.
