By Kouthar Sambo

Metro Police members were on patrol duty in the Manenberg area on Tuesday following the escalated violence between opposing gangs.

Police officials then responded to the sound of gunfire when they detected a suspect crouching while shooting in the direction of his target. Police ordered the suspect to lower his weapon, but instead of complying, he fired in the direction of the officers. Metro Police returned fire, causing the suspect to flee in an attempt to evade custody.

A chase ensued, and the wounded suspect could no longer keep up, resulting in the suspect collapsing while the officers sought medical assistance. The 35-year-old male was declared deceased by medical personnel a short while later, and a 9mm CZ pistol was recovered from the scene along with 6 rounds of ammunition.

“The scene was handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for further processing and investigation. Investigators from the directorates Safety and Security Investigation Unit were activated and attended the scene to assist with the preservation and gathering of evidence, and to further assist SAPS Detectives,” said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security JP Smith.

As gang violence has plunged several communities into utter terror, explained Smith, resources are going out to curb the violence and bring a sense of relief to our communities.

“This includes not only additional operational resources as extra staff are brought in on an overtime capacity, but also by utilizing all available technology including gunshot acoustics, CCTV surveillance, along with dash cams and body-worn cameras where available,” reiterated Smith.

Photo: Supplied