Free State man holds family hostage before killing himself and his wife

A hostage situation turned into a murder-suicide on Monday in Phuthaditjhaba, Free State.

Police received a call at around 6pm about the hostage situation in Mandela Park.

Man holds family hostage

A 56-year-old man had locked himself in the house with his wife and two children, aged three and seven.

“The police hostage negotiators team was summoned to the scene as well as the tactical response team.
The standoff continued throughout the night until on 26 September 2023 at about 07:30 when police heard two gunshots coming from inside the house,” police spokesperson Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli said.

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After hearing the gunshots, members of the police’s special task force entered the house and managed to rescue the two young girls.

“In the other room, they discovered the wounded husband and wife in a pool of blood. Paramedics were called in and the two succumbed to gunshot wounds and were declared dead at the scene,” said Kareli.

Police are investigating cases of murder and opened an inquest for further investigation. Circumstances that led to the hostage drama are part of the investigation.

Names of the deceased cannot be released yet, as some family members still need to be informed and the bodies of the deceased need to be formally identified.

READ ALSO: Man and woman dead in suspected murder-suicide in KZN

Father hangs himself after killing sons

Earlier this month, a 40-year-old father in Brakpan North, Ekurhuleni, was alleged to have killed his two young sons before taking his own life.

According to Brakpan police, officers were called to an address along Abramowitz Street at around 8.40pm.

When they arrived, they were told two boys had been strangled and taken to the Far East Rand Hospital.

An officer proceeded to the hospital and was informed that both children had died.

The father’s body was found in a nearby veld hanging from a tree.