Police opened an inquest docket after an off-duty police sergeant was fatally wounded during a shootout with members of the Tactical Response Team (TRT) in Mqanduli on Sunday afternoon, November 3.
According to police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli, it is alleged that at about 16:00, members of the Mthatha TRT unit had information about armed suspects in the area of Mqanduli.
He said the suspects were traced and located at a bottle store in the Dobe location.
“It is further alleged that when the suspects spotted the police, they started running in different directions, but one suspect who was at the entrance of the bottle store opened fire, and police retaliated by returning fire,” he added.
He further added that a 42-year-old suspect was fatally wounded, while other suspects managed to flee.
“An unlicensed revolver was recovered. A preliminary investigation has revealed that the recovered firearm was stolen in Hillbrow in 2021. On further investigation, it transpired that the deceased suspect was an off-duty police sergeant stationed at Madeira SAPS in the OR Tambo District.”
