Three people have been shot dead in a highway shootout between law enforcement and suspected robbers along the R21 near Thembisa on Wednesday morning, police confirmed.
Police said the shootout occurred before the R562 turnoff on the highway
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) said their tactical operations management section, the Gauteng traffic saturation unit, Ekurhuleni District trio tracking, Tracker, and private security companies Vision Tactical and Bad Boyz Security followed up on allegations the suspects had just robbed a mall near Carnival City.
Security guards at the mall were allegedly overpowered, after which the suspects made off in two vehicles. After one of the cars was found on the R21 highway, a plan was put in place to stop the suspects.
But when suspects realized they were being followed by law enforcement, a shootout ensued, and the suspects collided into a barrier.
Three of the men were fatally shot, and two others were rushed to a nearby medical facility, where they were said to be in a critical condition.
Traffic was heavily backed up in the area as a result.
Detectives were on the scene to investigate. Three unlicensed firearms, ammunition, and cargo were recovered in one of the vehicles, a VW Toureg said to have been stolen in January.
The second vehicle, a BMW, was found enroute to Mamelodi by the Tshwane K9 unit. Four suspects were detained. Police were led to their residence, where three more vehicles – a BMW 1 series, Toyota Corolla and VW Jetta, were found and seized.
The suspects are expected to appear in court soon for attempted murder, possession of suspected stolen property, armed robbery, and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition charges.
-EWN
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