TWO policemen were wounded this afternoon and a detainee was shot dead during what appears to have been a botched escape from the holding cells of the Nyoni SAPS station.
According to KZN SAPS spokesperson Major Thulani Zwane, at around 5pm the officers were conducting a visit of the police cells when one of the men was overpowered by a detainee who manged to take his firearm.
‘He opened fire at the officers and the other member returned fire, fatally wounding the 23-year-old suspect,’ he said.
‘A second suspect managed to escape.’
‘The prisoners were in custody for a number of robberies in the area,’ said Major Zwane.
‘The firearm taken from the officer was recovered still in the possession of the deceased suspect.’
According to Dylan Meyrick of IPSS Rescue, both officers are in a serious but stable condition.
One officer was airlifted by AMS to Netcare Umhlanga Hospital with gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen while the second was taken by ambulance to Netcare Alberlito Hospital after sustaining gunshots to the face and head.
It is believed they will both be having surgery within the next few hours.
