Most wanted hijacker shot dead by eyewitness

Alexandra’s notorious and most wanted car hijacker has been shot dead by a motorist who witnessed him allegedly hijacking a fellow motorist.

The hijacker, who was known to operate in the Sandringham and Bramley areas, was fatally wounded by a witness to his crime.

The suspect was shot at the corner of Vincent Tshabalala Road and 8th Avenue after he allegedly hijacked a motorist who had stopped at the red traffic lights a little after 7:30am. He managed to flee the scene and Alex police who were patrolling the area were alerted and gave chase.

The suspect ran down from 8th Avenue along Vincent Tshabalala Road and then collapsed on a small street in 9th Avenue, leading up to a nearby thicket of shacks. Police recovered a fully loaded special revolver.

Alex police spokesperson Warrant Officer Moses Maphakela said two suspects, one armed with a firearm, had approached a Polo Vivo driver when he stopped at traffic light during peak hour morning traffic on 14 November.

They then ordered the driver out of his car. The unarmed men then jumped into the driver’s seat while his colleague tried to jump into the passenger side. A fellow motorist from behind who had witnessed the hijacking is said to have shouted “stop it guys, stop it”, as he came out of his car.

Maphakela said the armed suspect then turned to aim his firearm at the shouting motorist, but the motorist is said to have pulled his trigger first, hitting the suspect’s upper body from behind. The armed suspect fled the scene on foot, but collapsed a few metres from the scene.

Paramedics were called to the scene and certified the suspect dead on arrival. Maphakela said the shot suspect had been a notorious car hijacker on the same spot he was shot at and was the most wanted suspect for car hijackings, armed robbery and rape in Alexandra.

The other suspect, who is being hunted by the police, abandoned the hijacked car at the corner of 8th Avenue and Florence Mphosho Street closer to Marlboro. “We are still looking for the other suspect and appeal to the community to come forward with any information that could lead to apprehension of the suspect.”

When asked what happens to the civilian motorist who shot the other suspect dead, Maphakela said he was not arrested but a statement was taken from the suspect and it will be stashed in a car hijacking case that has been opened. “It is up to the court to decide whether to charge or not to charge the motorist shooter,” he said.

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