Armed robbers gunned down by Tonga police
The police are searching for a fourth suspect who managed to flee the scene during the shootout.
Three armed men were killed in a shootout with police in Tonga on Thursday night, January 13.
A provincial police spokesperson, Brig Selvy Mohlala, said a group of suspects had charged into the local supermarket in Block A in Tonga on Thursday evening.
There were allegedly four of them.
The men were allegedly heavily armed and ransacked the store of its cigarettes, television sets, airtime as well as an undisclosed amount of cash. They fled the scene in a white Ford Bantam.
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The police responded to reports of the robbery and began searching for these men.
The officers spotted the getaway vehicle in Block A. The suspects saw the police and opened fire on them. The police retaliated, killing three of them, while the fourth suspect managed to escape.
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The provincial police commissioner, Lt Gen Semakaleng Manamela, has applauded the officers in Tonga for their bravery and dedication to fighting crime.
Should anyone have information that could lead the the arrest of the fourth suspect, contact Col Nancy Mnisi on 072 603 8438, or call the Crime Stop number on 08600 10111.
Alternatively, members of the public can send information via the My SAPS app. All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.
