An armed suspect has been fatally shot and several others wounded during a dramatic shootout with police in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, on Thursday morning. The suspects were reportedly planning an ATM bombing in the area as part of a broader criminal operation.
According to the South African Police Services (SAPS), the shootout was the result of an intelligence-led operation aimed at combating the recent surge in cash-in-transit heists and ATM bombings across Gauteng and neighboring provinces.
Major General Nonkululeko Phokane explained, “A crime intelligence operation, supported by various law enforcement agencies including the SAPS tactical response unit and the JMPD, was carried out this morning. Upon arriving at the scene, a shootout ensued. One suspect was killed, four were arrested, two others were hospitalized, and five remain on the run.”
In a separate incident in the Western Cape, a man was gunned down in what appears to be a gang-related shooting in Mitchells Plain on the Cape Flats. Police spokesperson FC van Wyk reported that a 13-year-old bystander was also wounded in the attack and taken to the hospital.
Details surrounding the shooting are still emerging. Van Wyk said, “An unidentified person approached the home and called out the deceased’s name. When the victim opened the curtain, the suspect opened fire, fatally wounding him. The injured 13-year-old was asleep at the time and was shot in the right arm.”
No arrests have been made in connection to the Mitchells Plain shooting as investigations continue.