Cop shoots wife, then himself

A POLICE officer stationed at the Ocean View Police Station allegedly killed his wife after shooting her three times before turning the gun on himself following a heated argument at a neighbour’s house in Masiphumelele.

Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said circumstances surrounding the murder of Andiswa Buti, 34, and an inquest related to Thulani Buti, 38, shooting himself were being investigated.

They both died on the scene, leaving their six-year-old child, Hlelo Buti, behind. Hlelo was present during the argument and the shooting.

Andiswa’s sister Busisiwe said the incident was painful to the families.

“We never saw this coming. Thulani was a very sweet person. He was kind.

“If the couple had problems, they were hiding them. From a distance one would view the couple as loving, but it seems they had problems of their own,” Busisiwe said.

According to a neighbour, who did not want to be named, the couple were arguing about Andiswa wanting to go alone to a tavern in Khayelitsha.

Thulani had wanted to go with her.

“They first fought inside their house and Andiswa ran to a neighbour and her husband followed her. There they argued again. The husband then took out his firearm and shot her and then himself,” the neighbour said.

A community leader, Mandlenkosi Sidina, said it was not the first time a man had killed his partner in the area.

Sidina said a similar incident occurred on Valentine’s Day.

“It’s a cowardly act to take the life of someone else because you don’t agree with them. If someone feels they are angry, then leave and get some fresh air to think things through,” he said.

Last week, a Lentegeur police officer allegedly held his girlfriend and her mother hostage before he shot and killed them, then turned the gun on himself.

The officer reportedly used his service pistol after holding his girlfriend, 27, and her mother, 54 ,hostage in their home.

The Gun Free South Africa and the SA Policing Union (Sapu)are calling for psychological support and consultation to address police problems.

The high rate of police killing family members and then committing suicide was shocking and an investigation was needed to address the problem, Sapu said.

In February it was also reported that an off-duty police officer at Kensington Police Station also shot himself.

Last year in November, another off-duty policeman stationed at Cape Town Central Police Station shot himself inside the work toilets.

Police officer shoots wife dead, commits suicide in front of their child