A tragic incident unfolded on Friday morning in Florida, Johannesburg, when two police detectives were gunned down while transporting a suspect from court, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has confirmed.
According to police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo, the fatal shooting occurred at approximately 10:30am. The officers, who were attached to the Trio Task Team, had earlier collected the suspect from detention for an appearance at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court. The case related to a business robbery that took place in 2023.
“Our members went to fetch a suspect that was to appear in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court in a case of business robbery that occurred in 2023,” Lt-Col Masondo explained.
After the court proceedings, tragedy struck as the detectives were intercepted on their return journey to the holding cells. The attackers opened fire on the officers, killing both on the spot. Their service firearms were stolen during the attack, and the suspect managed to escape.
Shockingly, the suspect was later spotted driving the unmarked police vehicle used for the escort. The vehicle was later found abandoned a few kilometres away from the scene of the shooting.
Lt-Col Masondo described the incident as a “brazen and ruthless attack” and confirmed that an intensive manhunt has been launched to track down the suspect and those responsible for the ambush.
Police have appealed to the public to come forward with any information that could assist in the investigation, assuring that all information will be treated confidentially.
This latest attack has sparked renewed concerns about the safety of law enforcement officers and the growing boldness of criminals targeting the police in South Africa.
