One cop shot dead, two wounded in Tembisa

Police have mobilised maximum resources after a police officer was shot dead and another two wounded during an armed robbery at a filling station in Tembisa.

It is understood, a group of criminals entered a filling station on Andrew Mapheto Drive early on Thursday morning and robbed the convenience store of an undisclosed amount of money and cigarettes.

As the group were about to flee, they noticed a group of police officers entering the filling station, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said.

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“They immediately opened fire on three members attached to the Tembisa South Police Station and a security guard. The three members and the security guard sustained multiple gunshot wounds and the group of criminals stole their service pistols.”

“All three members and the security guard were taken to hospital for treatment. One of the members sadly died in hospital. A manhunt is underway for the group of at least 15 suspects who fled the scene in a Toyota Quantum and Toyota Corolla Prestige,” Mathe said.

Meanwhile, SAPS management has also learnt of the passing on of three members in a fatal motor vehicle accident in Vereeniging on Wednesday morning.

Mathe said at the time of the accident, the officers from the Vereeniging Police Station were conducting crime prevention patrols when a truck allegedly failed to stop at a four-way crossing.

“The truck drove into the SAPS vehicle and dragged the vehicle for at least 500 metres until it came to a standstill. The three SAPS members were certified dead at the scene.

Mathe said the driver of the truck has since been arrested.

“A case of culpable homicide and reckless and negligent driving is being investigated. The death and attack of these members takes place a few days after the annual SAPS Commemoration Day. In the 2021/2022 financial year, 33 members lost their lives in the line of duty.”

The National Commissioner of SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, has sent his condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the four members and wished the two members a speedy recovery.

Masemola said an attack on police officers is an attack on the authority of the state.

“We are not going to allow criminals to run amok and do as they wish. We are coming for each one of them. We are closing the net on each person in this country who is found to be on the wrong side of the law”, said Masemola.

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