While the men managed to escape, two of them were arrested within an hour of the incident.
With the police and security, both on the ground and in the air, close on their heels, the other two were caught a little while later.
On Thursday, shortly after the foiled incident, mall management said they were shocked at the incident, especially taking into account the level of security on site since early on Thursday morning.
Kathryn Payton of Marketing Concepts commented on the scene that there were over 200 uniformed policemen and an undisclosed number of plain-clothes SAPS members on site, as well as Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department, mall security, private security and snipers on the roof.
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She added the security helicopter was in the air and tracking the suspects within a minute of the incident occurring.
Although police could, on Friday morning, still not confirm what the target of the attack was, Capt Mavela Masondo, spokesman for the Gauteng provincial SAPS office, says they can confirm a shooting took place at the Springs Mall on Thursday and that investigations are underway.
“Four people were arrested for possession of suspected stolen property,” he says.
He says two police officers and a member of the community were injured and taken to hospital in a stable condition.
• Read: UPDATE: Springs Mall management comments on robbery, assures residents that safety is top priority
“We suspect the suspects were targeting shops in the mall.”
However, he says they cannot confirm who shot whom during the shootout and cannot divulge any other information.
William Ntladi, district manager media liaison for Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS), says they were alerted to an incident at the mall at 11.20am on Thursday and responded to a case of multiple shootings.
“Fire fighters and paramedics promptly responded to the scene after receiving the call to render pre-hospital medical treatment to the casualties.”
“Two members of the South African Police Services were injured and one officer, who sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder, was airlifted to Union Hospital for further medical care; while the other member sustained a gunshot wound to the hand.
“The third patient, a member of the public, sustained gunshot wounds to her lower abdominal region and was in a serious but stable condition.
• Also read: Shots fired at Springs Mall
“She was road transported by ambulance to Far East Rand Hospital for further medical care,” he says.
Netcare 911 and ER24 paramedics were also on scene to render assistance and transport the patients to hospitals.
The police were on scene, investigating, until late on Thursday and opened an inquest docket immediately.
