A farmer of Dewetsdorp in the Free State, Dries van Tonder (64), was shot in the neck and admitted to the Bloemfontein Medi Clinic on Thursday morning 22 October 2020, whilst on route from Bloemfontein to his farm. Dries was driving back to his farm after taking someone to hospital. Dries was shot by occupants of an unmarked car which later turned out to be a Police vehicle which never used blue lights or sirens.
Danie van Tonder, the leader of the sector safety structure, told the media that Dries phoned him and said people in in an unmarked car followed him and shot out the back glasses of his bakkie. Danie said when he came close to where Dries was being chased, Dries stopped but was then shot at again. It was then that Dries was shot in the neck.
Dries did shoot back because he thought he was being attacked and never suspected it is actually a Police vehicle shooting at him. Danie said the occupants of the unmarked car also shot at him and he had to hide around a bend in the road. After that Dries drove to him and stopped next to him. The unmarked car chased away.
They only heard later that it was an unmarked Police vehicle.
Dries was stabilized by a local doctor after which he was admitted to the Bloemfontein Medi Clinic. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is now investigating the incident.
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