Man nabbed after garage shooting
POLICE have arrested a man in connection with a shooting at a petrol station in Thokoza, Ekurhuleni. The man allegedly shot a friend before taking his vehicle and later selling the firearm.
In video footage, the two men can be seen talking, one holding a firearm.
Seconds later, the shooter is seen grabbing the firearm and pointing it at the victim.
The pair then tussle for the gun and the shooter fires at the victim before walking off.
He turns back, walks towards the victim who is now lying on the ground, kicks him, appears to fire more shots, then bends down to search the victim's pockets.
The shooter then grabs the victim's keys, gets into his Renault Kwid and drives off. The shooting takes place in full view of petrol attendants and other motorists at the petrol station.
According to Ekurhuleni ThathaZonke Anti-crime Unit's Phiwe Khumalo, they were alerted to the incident after the shooter claimed to be part of their company.
He said they were shown the video footage of the shooting and were able to identify the shooter.
Khumalo said the victim was shot in the head, chest and leg.
“We immediately launched a search for the suspect and he was found at his parents' house within 20 minutes. He was under the influence of drugs and was behaving violently. He was also incoherent,” Khumalo said.
He said the suspect's mother was at church and when residents saw the security vehicles, the woman came out and was informed of the shooting.
“We apprehended the suspect and took his mother to the petrol station to view the footage and she identified the man in the video as her son. He was taken to the Thokoza police station,” Khumalo said.
The man allegedly confessed to the shooting, adding that he sold the firearm for R800 and bought drugs with the cash.
Khumalo said when teams went to the hostel where the man claimed to have sold the gun, they managed to apprehend an alleged drug dealer but could not locate the firearm.
“The victim's family had opened a case of attempted murder, car theft and theft of a firearm,” he said.
Khumalo said the victim was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
Ekurhuleni metro police department spokesperson, Kelebogile Thepa, said the suspect was apprehended.
According to Gauteng police spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo, the shooting took place last week and the victim is still alive.