GAUTENG – Three suspects were fatally wounded during a high-speed chase and shootout with the Hawks Tactical Operations Management Section in Crystal Park, Gauteng, on Wednesday evening.
The Hawks said the trio were being pursued for hijacking, attempted murder and kidnapping after they allegedly forced a female victim from her vehicle on Elm Road in Crystal Park.
According to a Hawks statement, members received information about suspects who were allegedly committing hijackings and kidnappings in the area and tactically patrolled the road.
Around 20:30, Hawks members from the Tactical Operations Management Section spotted a silver-grey Opel Astra matching the description of the suspects’ vehicle, just after they pulled the female victim from her Fiat and bundled her into their getaway vehicle.
A high-speed chase followed and the suspects opened fire on police. The suspects’ vehicle hit the side barrier and crashed into an embankment.
The victim was rescued with no injuries. Two firearms and some of the victim’s possessions were recovered from the suspects’ vehicle.
The incident comes as Crystal Park and surrounding areas in Benoni have experienced ongoing crime concerns. In June 2025, a petition highlighted a lack of police resources to combat crime in the area, prompting community meetings.
In November 2025, seven foreign nationals were arrested in Benoni for offloading a hijacked trailer worth R1,2 million and were detained at Crystal Park Police Station.
The Hawks’ Tactical Operations Management Section has been involved in several high-profile operations in Gauteng. In August 2025, three suspects were killed in a shootout with Hawks officers in Mamelodi East, Pretoria, after opening fire on police who were responding to information about illegal firearms.
The identities of the three suspects killed in Thursday’s incident have not yet been released. An investigation into the shooting is expected to follow.
