One person died and a suspected robber was injured during a shootout with police in Uitenhage on Wednesday afternoon 13 November 2019.
Around 15:30, it is alleged that a group of about four men armed with firearms stormed into a supermarket in Caledon Street, Uitenhage. It is said that employees and customers were held at gunpoint, while other suspects stole money from the tills. The suspects fled the scene in a getaway vehicle, a grey Toyota Corolla.
Onlookers flagged down a police patrol vehicle that was driving near a supermarket and alerted them about the robbery. Police gave chase and caught up with a getaway vehicle in Park Lane, Uitenhage. Suspects on seeing a police vehicle started shooting and jumped out of the vehicle still shooting at police and they retaliated.
Other police units also responded which resulted in the arrest of three suspects of which one of them was injured during a shootout and was taken to hospital for treatment. Police also recovered two firearms. On inspecting the getaway vehicle, a dead body of a man was found in the boot. At this stage, it is unknown whether the deceased was hijacked and killed, or if he died in the crossfire, or if he was working with the suspects.
No police officers were injured during the incident.
The three men aged between 24 and 36 are due to appear in the Uitenhage Magistrate’s Court soon on charges ranging from business robbery to attempted murder.
An inquest docket was also opened and is to be investigated by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.
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