Cape town security officer shot and killed during hostage standoff
Cape Town South Africa May 3 2017 – The security guard who was shot and wounded in a hostage standoff at Cape Town’s Nyanga Junction has died, Western Cape police said on Tuesday, ahead of a visit to the site by Police Minister Fikile Mbalula.
The 25-year-old, whose name was not released, was seriously injured during an attempted robbery at the shopping centre on Monday.
According to police he was shot during an exchange of gunfire between suspects and security staff. Another person, who police are treating as a suspect, was also injured and is under police guard in hospital.
The robbery turned into a hostage situation that lasted almost the whole day.
Members of the police’s Special Task Force comprised of hostage negotiators, detectives and the National Intervention Unit managed to get 11 people out of the mall in Manenberg safely, police spokesperson Sergeant Noxolo Rwexana said.
”Of the 11 people taken out of the building, ten are said to be hostages employed by the retail store and one the suspect who was earlier injured,” said Rwexana.
”The suspect was treated on the scene and taken to hospital under police guard.”
Shoprite said in a statement a group of three robbers attacked when the store was preparing for trading at around 06:00 on Monday, two hours before opening.
A security guard was injured when shots were fired when armed response arrived at the scene in response to management raising the alarm.
A 12-hour hostage situation ensued.
At the end of the ”harrowing” experience, five supermarket employees, three contracted security personnel and two employees from the contracted cleaning company were freed by the special task team before 18:00.
Shoprite said it was supporting the staff who were held hostage with whatever they need to recover from the ordeal.
”Shoprite deplores the incidences of violence in its communities that prevents ordinary citizens to conduct their normal business in public places and deprives them of their safety,” said Shoprite.
