UPDATE: 11am –Police have finally named the victims of a fatal shooting inside the premises of the Alexandra Police Station last night.
The four victims have been identified as Major Thomas Moetlo (59), a police officer stationed at the Alexandra Police Station; Sowela Anna Nkuna (police still to verify age) who was the wife of the late suspect; Stephina Semenya (52) and Mathews Mabayi (39), both of whom were accompanying Nkuna when she went to the station to open a case of domestic violence.
The late suspect, who was gunned down in a shootout with police a few metres from the station, has been named as Constable Ronnie Masie (32). Masie was an orderly at the Alexandra Magistrates Court stationed at the old Wynberg Police Station which is now used as a seat for detectives.
Gauteng Provincial Police spokesperson, Col Lungelo Dlamini said four murder cases and inquests are being investigated.
Masie is said to have stormed into the Alexandra Police Station where his wife, Nkuna had gone to open a case of domestic violence. She was accompanied by two relatives, Semenya and Mabayi.
While the trio was being assisted by Major Moetlo, Masie is said to have burst into the room and, without a word, shot dead his wife, turned the gun on the major before shooting the two relatives who had accompanied his wife. All victims perished.
As the suspect made his way out of the room, he met two other officers and opened fire on them, narrowly missing. He then made his way out of the station and boarded a taxi to his home.
Members of the Tactical Response Team followed him and, as he alighted from the taxi, Masie is said to have noticed he was being followed and opened fire. The Tactical Response Team returned fire and shot him dead.
Initial report: Before fleeing the scene, the suspect is said to have opened fire and missed two other police officers who were in the vicinity.
As the suspect fled, he was followed by members of the Tactical Response Team. As he alighted from a taxi near his house, the suspected noticed he was being followed and opened fire.
LISTEN to Provincial Commissioner General Lesetja Mothiba addressing the media during a press confrence held at the Alexandra Police Station :
https://soundcloud.com/user528046609/alex-shooting1
The officers on pursuit returned fire, fatally wounding the suspect. According to Provincial Commissioner General Lesetja Mothiba, the suspect’s wife had arrived at the station at 6pm to report a case of domestic violence.
As she narrated her story, the suspect is said to have stormed in and without a word, shot dead his wife first, then the police major and two of his wife’s relatives, a man and a woman who had accompanied her.
General Mothiba, who was flanked by National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega and Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane during his media briefing at the station, said a thorough investigation into the shootings would be conducted.
WATCH Riah Phiyega addressing the media during the conference:
Phiyega emphasised the need for the media to allow the investigation to be completed in order not to pre-empty it and also to be sensitive to the families of those killed.
“We don’t want to jump the gun and speculate, hence we want to complete the investigation and then make an informed statement,” she said.
Phiyega, Mothiba and Nkosi-Malobane all offered their condolences to the families of the victims of the shooting and would not want to confirm that the suspect had been a rogue police officer who often abused his firearm.
“All that will form the subject of the investigation, including determining where he [suspect] got the firearm from,” Nkosi-Malobane said.
