Police have detailed the circumstances around a dramatic hijacking incident that claimed the life of a suspect and left the vehicle owner wounded in Glenwood, Durban, on Wednesday night.
Police reported that the man who had attempted to hijack a vehicle and shot its owner in Umbilo was killed in a shootout with police.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the SAPS were conducting routine patrols when they spotted a man firing shots next to a BMW vehicle which was parked on Clark Road.
“Police responded, and a shootout ensued between the police and the suspect. The suspect fled on foot and on Ryde Avenue and hijacked an e-hailing vehicle which had just dropped a client. The suspect drove the hijacked vehicle towards Che Guevara Road as he continued shooting,” Netshiunda said.
Hijacker veers of the road
A static deployment of both police and Metro Police officers on Che Guevara Road responded, and the suspect was outmaneuvered by several police vehicles.
Netshiunda said the man attempted to flee, but he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a gate of a nearby house.
“He was declared dead at the scene. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect, who remains unknown at this stage, shot and injured the owner of the BMW, which he attempted to hijack,” he said.
The victim is recovering from gunshot wounds in a Durban hospital.
No bystander hit by stray bullet
Netshiunda said reports claiming that a bystander or a student was hit with a stray bullet during the shootout are false and malicious. He said the suspect’s details is unknown at this stage. He said circulating social media reports that the suspect is a foreign national are premature and unconfirmed.
“Police will release verified information in due time. Although several police vehicles were riddled with bullet holes, no police officer was injured during the shootout,” Netshiunda said.
A private security company that predominantly patrols part of the Umbilo area, Homeland Security, reported that an alleged attempted hijacking occurred on Clark Road involving a white Hyundai i20.
Homeland Security said the suspects allegedly fled toward Umbilo Road, where they encountered a SAPS team stationed at Che Guevara Road.
