Officer gunned down and robbed of firearm while responding to alarm
|Published
Durban — Police are investigating charges of murder, robbery and attempted burglary after an armed response officer was shot and killed while responding to an incident in Kenville, Durban North, on Thursday morning.
ALS Paramedics Medical Services spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said that just after 11.30am, ALS Paramedics responded to a shooting incident on Kew Road in Kenville.
Jamieson said when paramedics arrived on the scene, they found SAPS and multiple security companies. They were shown to a security officer who had been shot in his upper body.
“Paramedics assessed the man believed to be in his thirties; however, he had sustained fatal injuries and was declared deceased on the scene,” Jamieson said.
“It is alleged that a male security officer was responding to an emergency at a house when he came under fire.”
Marshall Security managing director Tyron Powell said the Marshall Security Emergency Dispatch Centre was alerted through various WhatsApp Crime Alert Groups and received multiple calls regarding a shooting incident on Kew Road in the Kenville area.
He said multiple armed response officers and members of their Special Operations Team were immediately dispatched and Netcare 911 and Greenwood Park SAPS were informed accordingly.
Further information came that an armed response officer from another private security company had been shot, he said.
“Upon our team’s arrival at the scene, they discovered multiple spent cartridges on the scene and the response officer sustained a gunshot wound to the head,” Powell said.
“The crime scene was immediately cordoned off by members of our Special Operations Team.”
Powell said Netcare 911 arrived seconds later. Unfortunately, there was nothing paramedics could do to assist the victim and he was declared deceased on the scene.
He said the circumstances suggest the incident may have been a robbery gone wrong which was then interrupted by the responding security officer.
“The vehicle believed to have been involved in this tragic event has since been recovered by our Special Operations Team, Durban SAPS K9 Unit and Phoenix SAPS Trio Crimes Unit on Queen Nandi Drive in the KwaMashu area. The officer’s firearm was also taken during the incident,” Powell said.
“Upon inspecting the recovered vehicle it was discovered that the vehicle was sought by the SAPS and was hijacked earlier this week in the Phoenix area.”
He said Greenwood Park SAPS responded to the scene.
“We extend our sincere condolences to the fallen officer, his family, and the security company he represented. This tragic loss deeply affects us all, and our thoughts are with everyone impacted during this difficult time,” Powell said.
KZN VIP Protection Services spokesperson Gareth Naidoo added that the vehicle believed to have been used in the robbery was also hijacked from Phoenix earlier this week where a victim was shot.
“Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and also the security team,” Naidoo said.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala said that charges of murder, robbery and attempted burglary are being investigated by Greenwood Park SAPS.
“It is alleged that on March 7, 2024, a security official responded to an alarm in Kenville when he was allegedly shot by unknown suspects. He was also robbed of his firearm and was declared dead at the scene. The suspects fled the scene in their getaway vehicle which was later found abandoned in KwaMashu. It was established that the vehicle was stolen in Phoenix this month,” Gwala said.
WhatsApp your views on this story at 071 485 7995.
Daily News