A 27-year-old Malawian national was involved in a robbery at a general dealer in Maidstone, KZN on a Tuesday afternoon.
The incident took a dramatic turn when a 69-year-old resident of Tongaat, KZN, arrived at the scene and witnessed three males with firearms in the act of robbing the premises.
In response, the senior citizen took action by using his Tangfoglio 6.35 pistol to shoot one of the men in the chest. The suspect dropped his firearm and fled the premises with his accomplices, having stolen cash and cellphones.
Following the shooting, members of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) arrived at the scene at approximately 17:17.
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They immediately took charge of the situation, inspecting the suspect’s firearm and determining that it was a replica.
After interviewing witnesses and the shooter, RUSA members proceeded to the Tongaat clinic to inquire if any gunshot victims had been admitted.
Upon arrival, they were informed that a man with a gunshot wound to his chest had been brought to the facility by the occupants of a white Ford Batam bakkie. Notably, the vehicle’s registration plates had been removed, adding a layer of complexity to the investigation.
Security officers based at the clinic provided assistance to the injured male, who was then interviewed by reaction officers.
Initially, he claimed to be the victim of a robbery. However, during further questioning, he confessed that he and three accomplices had conspired to rob the store. Despite this admission, he did not provide any additional information.
Reaction officers secured the suspect until the Tongaat South African Police Service (SAPS) arrived to take over the handling of the case.
