Cosmo City hostage drama ends in double murder-suicide

A man reportedly held his wife and daughter hostage for hours, and disregarded every attempt by neighbours, family and police to release them.

Police outside the property where the double murder-suicide was committed in Cosmo City. Image: Roodepoort Northsider

Honeydew police are probing a case of a double murder-suicide after a man gunned down his wife and daughter before turning the gun on himself on Wednesday evening, reports Roodepoort Northsider.

Gauteng police provincial spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said police in Honeydew have opened a double murder and suicide case for further investigation to establish the circumstances that led to the tragic incident, which took place at Extension 10 in Cosmo City.

Police were called after gunshots had been heard. It was reported that the man had held his family hostage for hours, and disregarded every attempt by neighbours, family and the police to release his family from the hostile situation.

“Alleged attempts by the man’s relatives to talk him out of shooting anybody else had failed and he allegedly turned the gun on himself,” Peters said.

“All three were declared dead on the scene,” she confirmed, adding that police seized a licensed pistol believed to have been used to commit the crime.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.