Trent Groenewald, the owner of Il Camino Italian Restaurant in Mulbarton, is still reeling with shock after the shooting incident that happened on July 30 at his restaurant.
Two innocent bystanders, who were patrons at the restaurant, were injured after being struck by a stray bullet during an altercation between Daniel Rowland and a woman who accompanied him.
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One of the ladies succumbed to the bullet wound after some days in the hospital.
Groenewald said he was at his table sorting out bills when he heard one of the patrons shouting to another patron.
“I quickly came to them to quell the situation. Subsequently, I escorted Rowland out. I saw him go to his car. I then went back and continued with what I was doing,” he said.
One of the managers asked Rowland to leave as he was shouting and swearing outside the restaurant in the parking lot.
Another manager said she knows Rowland and his family; she was friends with his father.
“I tried to calm him down, telling him that this is a family restaurant and he must calm down. Then that’s where a shot were fired,” explained one of the managers.
After the shot was fired, Groenewald, one of the managers and other patrons grabbed Rowland to try and disarm him. They succeeded in pinning him to the ground. In a short space of time, Fox Security came and handcuffed Rowland and he was then handed to the police.
ALSO READ: Victim recovering, suspect in hospital following shooting at Mulbarton restaurant
Groenewald said in the over 30 years the family-orientated restaurant has been operational, this has never happened.
“We have full-time security on-site, and when this incident happened they pushed the panic button to close the entrance gate and everyone was safe. It was a quick reaction from our security. We have since hired a private investigator to work with the police so justice can be served,” said one of the managers.
CHRONICLE tried to reach out to the family of the deceased; however, according to Groenewald, they are too distraught to talk about this and asked to be given space.
Rowland appeared in Booysens Magistrate’s Court on August 2 on charges of attempted murder; the case was postponed to August 6, where he appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court for bail application. He was granted R10 000 bail. He will again appear in Booysens Magistrate’s Court on September 15.
CHRONICLE is awaiting an official statement from Mondeor SAPS spokesperson Capt Nokulunga Dube.
ALSO READ: Mulbarton restaurant shooting suspect to appear for bail application
