Three suspects shot dead in gun battle with KZN police

Three suspects have been shot dead in a gun battle with police in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

The suspects, who had hijacked a vehicle loaded with home appliances this week, were shot and fatally wounded in the shootout with police in Mariannhill on Wednesday night.

Chase

Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the group was wanted for truck-jacking and the theft of cargo.

“On Tuesday afternoon, a motorist was hijacked of his Hyundai H1 delivery vehicle loaded with home appliances worth an undisclosed amount of money on Intake Road in Mariannhill. Police’s intelligence traced the hijacked vehicle to Klaarwater hostel in Mariannhill and information indicated that the suspects were loading the hijacked goods into a bakkie.”

ALSO READ: WATCH: KZN police discover warehouses storing expired food in Durban

Gun battle

Netshiunda said when officers approached the area, they spotted the identified bakkie and signalled for the driver to stop.

“However, the driver chose to ignore police’s instructions and sped off and police gave chase. During the high speed vehicle chase, the suspects started firing shots at the police and a shootout ensued. The suspect’s vehicle came to a standstill at the corner of Henry Penington and Ndwandwe streets in Klaarwater, Mariannhill.

“Three suspects were found to have sustained fatal gunshots wounds during the shootout and were found in possession two firearms whose serial numbers were filed off, as well as several rounds of ammunition,” Netshiunda said.

Netshiunda said apart from an official SAPS vehicle which had bullet holes on the bonnet, no police officer was injured during the shootout.

Expired food warehouse

Meanwhile, as the country grapples with the scourge of foodborne illnesses and poisoning, police in KZN have uncovered two warehouses used to store expired food products south of Durban.

The expired items were discovered during an operation in the Bluff area on Wednesday.

Netshiunda said food items such as canned fish, fizzy drinks, soya beans, baby food and spices, which are mostly used on chips, were found stored with hazardous chemicals such as pesticides.

ALSO READ: Two suspects dead in shootout with police in Empangeni, KZN