In a dramatic turn of events, five suspects linked to a series of murders and business robberies were shot and killed by police in KwaZulu-Natal. The operation unfolded on Tuesday evening after various police units, acting on intelligence, identified a double-storey flat in Cato Crest as a potential hideout for the gang.
The suspects were located at a property on Standard Road. Provincial SAPS spokesperson Robert Netshiunda reported that the police, upon announcing their presence, came under fire from the suspects. "The suspects fired at our officers through the windows, prompting a shootout," said Netshiunda. "The encounter resulted in the deaths of five suspects who sustained fatal gunshot wounds. Authorities recovered an AK47 assault rifle, three handguns, and drugs from the scene."
Netshiunda confirmed that no officers were injured during the confrontation. The deceased suspects were allegedly involved in four murder cases, thirteen business robberies, and a carjacking across the Cato Manor and Durban Central precincts.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of violent confrontations between police and suspects in KZN. In recent weeks, more than a dozen individuals wanted for violent crimes have been killed in similar exchanges in areas including Inanda, Empangeni, and Esikhaleni.
