One of the police officers shot and wounded during the swoop on an armed gang in Rosettenville, Johannesburg, has died in hospital.
Three policemen and a metro police officer were wounded in the shooting.
One policeman was discharged on Tuesday – a day after the bloody shooting in which the gang of suspected armed robbers shot at a police helicopter that was hovering above.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said the pilot was shot and wounded prompting a response from other police officers who were in the area.
The police shot at the BMW that left the property killing three alleged armed robbers.
Witnesses said the shooting went on for “about seven minutes, but it felt like hours”. After the shootout police recovered 72 spent cartridges of rifle calibre.
As many as eight suspected armed robbers were shot dead and 10 others were arrested.
Seven alleged armed robbers were still on the run.
Explosives, several high-calibre weapons including an AK47 assault rifle, and other guns with filed-off serial numbers were recovered after the shootout.
The police also confiscated several vehicles that included an Audi Q3, Ford Ranger, Mercedes Benz, Range Rover, Audi S4, Polo TSI, Ford Focus, Toyota Quantum, Toyota Hilux, BMW, Max Corolla with a Malawian registration and a Toyota Etios.
On Tuesday the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) said initial investigations revealed that the dead robbers included four Zimbabweans, one Botswana national, and four South Africans – one of them a former SA military officer.
IPID has reconstructed events that led to the deadly shooting at Frias Hill and Gotthan Streets in Rosettenville.
IPID said on Monday at about 16:00, members of National crime intelligence, JMPD K9, JHB Flying Squad EMPD STT, Pretoria Airwing, Johannesburg Airwing Guerrilla Tactical services, RTMC and High patrol were following information of suspects who were planning to commit cash in transit heist around Johannesburg area.
“The information led them to a certain safe house at number 50 Friars Hill Street in Rosetenville, where suspects had met for their final planning,” said IPID.
“The chopper was hovering above the safe house while other members took positions on the ground.
“When the suspects noticed the chopper they started shooting at the police chopper and the police on the chopper retaliated by shooting back at the suspects.”
IPID said the members on the ground joined in and suspects continued shooting at the police officers.
The suspects tried to escape out of the safe house, some on foot, others in their vehicles, and others jumped over the walls to the neighbouring houses.
IPID said the shoot-out between the police and the suspects “continued for a long time”.
More backup vehicles from SAPS and other law enforcement agencies arrived at the scene.
“Five of the suspects who jumped over to the neighbour’s house at Hakka Road held the occupants of the house hostage,” said IPID.
“As the members went into this house the shoot-out continued.
“The suspects were overpowered and the police managed to apprehend 10 suspects of which two were wounded and were taken to hospital for treatment under police guard.”
Meanwhile, backup vehicles from Mofatt View were chasing the other suspects who had fled the scene and hijacked a white VW Polo Vivo.
“Another shoot-out had ensured between suspects and the police officers,” said IPID.
“Eight suspects were fatally wounded and declared dead at the crime scene. One of the deceased was an ex-military member.”
Law enforcement officers injured in the gun battle included one police officer from the chopper, two police officers from Mofatt View, and one metro police officer.
“Later we received information that one of the injured police officers passed away at Milpark hospital,” said IPID.
