Hijacker killed in a shootout with police in Umbilo

A man who had attempted to hijack a vehicle and shot its owner was shot and fatally wounded in a shootout with police in Umbilo on Wednesday night, 14 October 20216.

Police were conducting routine patrols when they spotted a man firing shots next to a BMW vehicle which was parked on Clark Road. Police responded and a shootout ensued between the police and the suspect. The suspect fled on foot and on Ryde Avenue and hijacked an e-hailing vehicle which had just dropped a client. The suspect drove the hijacked vehicle towards Che Guevara Road as he continued shooting.

A static deployment of both police and Metro Police officers on Che Guevara Road responded and the suspect was overpowered. He attempted to flee but he lost control of the vehicle and collided with a gate of a nearby house. He was declared dead at the scene. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect, who remains unknown at this stage, shot and injured the owner of the BMW which he attempted to hijack, and he was taken to hospital.

Reports claiming that a bystander or a student was hit with a stray bullet during the shootout are false and malicious. The suspect is unknown at this stage, and as such circulating social media reports that the suspect is a foreign national are premature and unconfirmed. Police will release verified information in due time. Although several police vehicle were riddled with bullet holes, no police officer was injured during the shootout.   

SUPPLIED | South African Police Service