Western Cape MEC’s VIP protector shoots himself outside church during LEAP officer’s funeral

The cop was rushed to hospital and is said to be in critical condition.


A Cape Town police officer shot himself in an apparent suicide attempt outside the VGK Elsies River church during the funeral service of another cop on Saturday morning.

The cop, who is part of Western Cape Community Safety and Police Oversight MEC Reagen Allen’s protection detail, was on duty when he allegedly attempted to end his life.

This happened during the funeral service of the City of Cape Town LEAP officer, Alessandro Heynes.

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The 23-year-old officer was gunned down last week while he was off-duty in Elsies River.

Allen confirmed that the cop who allegedly shot himself on Saturday was part of his VIP protection detail.

The MEC said he was shocked by the incident.

“I am deeply shocked and hurt by what transpired. I’d like to wish the officer a speedy recovery. I hope we will be able to get to the bottom of why this occurred, soonest” he said.

The cop was rushed to hospital and is said to be in critical condition.

Police are investigating the circumstances that led to the attempted suicide.

Two Boksburg police officers killed

Meanwhile, two on-duty police officers were killed during an attack on Thursday in Boksburg in the East Rand.

It is understood the pair had responded to a call about a complaint of an unnatural death when they were attacked by three unknown males.

The cops, aged 29 and 45-years-old, were waiting for a mortuary van when they were accosted by the unknown suspects, disarmed and fatally wounded.

Police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe said the suspects fled the scene on foot with the cops’ service pistols and bulletproof vests.

A manhunt has since been launched to apprehend the three males and to recover the stolen items.

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