DURBAN – A 35-year-old suspect arrested in connection with the Pinetown carjacking shootout that grabbed global headlines is due in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court today, Tuesday 27 October.
Pinetown detectives nabbed the suspect at KwaDabeka on Sunday 25 October. He was found with an unlicensed firearm and 14 rounds of ammunition.
He faces charges of attempted carjacking, three counts of attempted murder, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The charges stem from the 9 October incident at Lee Place, in which Pinetown father Sidney Hill (53) opened fire on armed attackers while shielding his daughter.
Hill, an operations manager with experience in the safety and security industry, was reversing out of his driveway in his Toyota Hilux when five suspects in a Renault Kiger pulled up behind him and opened fire. He returned fire immediately.
Suspect dies in gunfight
In a 14-second gunfight, 27 shots rang out. One suspect was struck in the head and died at the scene. The remaining four fled.
A neighbour described the scene as “like a warzone with bullet after bullet.”
Dashcam footage of the shootout went viral on social media, drawing worldwide media coverage and a flood of admiring comments. One user called Hill “Chuck Norris”; another joked: “Of all the people the carjackers could have picked on, they got him.”
WARNING: NOT FOR SENSITIVE VIEWERS.
A BackaBuddy campaign to help cover the family’s legal costs and trauma counselling for Hill’s children has raised almost R200 000 towards its R500 000 goal. According to the campaign page, the financial burden has placed Hill in a difficult position. “The funds raised will help them cover the legal costs arising from the incident and provide consistent professional counselling for as long as the children need it,” the page states
The arrested suspect’s court appearance comes 18 days after the shootout.
Visit Back-a-Buddy for more information
