Tshwane District Hospital. Picture. Liza van Deventer Tshwane District Hospital. Picture. Liza van Deventer
Pretoria News - An arrested suspect who tried to escape from custody by grabbing a police officer’s gun while being admitted to Tshwane District Hospital is now roaming the ward without police supervision.
During a Pretoria News visit to the hospital on Thursday the man identified as the suspect freely walked around Ward 6 wearing a green hospital robe.
No police officers were in sight.
But a spokeswoman for the hospital, who confirmed the incident and said no shots were fired, denied the suspect was not being supervised.
“I can confirm he has been admitted and is being guarded by a police officer,” she said.
An ill Hermanstad man who had been waiting for a bed to become available helped to restrain the suspect on Tuesday afternoon by kicking him as he was wrestling a police officer for his gun.
The patient, who wishes to remain anonymous, said:
“I noticed two police officers bringing in a man without a shirt at around lunchtime. His hands were tied behind his back.”
He said the suspect asked the police officers if he could use the toilet and they cut his hands free.
“One of the police officers left while the other waited on a wooden bench.
“I walked away and a few minutes later I heard a commotion. I ran back and saw the suspect and the police officer wrestling. The suspect had the handle of the gun in his hand. He was pinning the officer down on the bench with his knee.
“Two other patients assisted to restrain the suspect. It was then when I kicked him behind his knee and his leg buckled under him. He fell to the ground and the others pinned him down,” he said.
“Hospital security did not do anything. They were just standing there,” he said.
Police spokesman Tumisani Molefe said he was not aware of the incident and could not comment.
Pretoria News