A member of the Mongrels gang was apprehended by authorities after he was stopped while being escorted in the back of a security bakkie making its way through the scene of a shooting.
A member of the Mongrels gang was apprehended by authorities after he was stopped while being escorted in the back of a security bakkie making its way through the scene of a shooting.
Safety and security Mayco member JP Smith said late on Sunday evening, an attempted hijacking occurred in Daniel Ave, Lotus River.
“Shots were fired and a member of the public returned fire, fatally wounding an attacker, allegedly a member of the Mongrels gang,” Smith said.
“Shortly thereafter, the accident scene transformed into a battlefield, with members of the public taking cover behind parked vehicles.”
Grassy Park Police, along with Law Enforcement and Metro Police Gang and Drug Task Team, responded to the scene and a steady exchange of gunfire lasted for several minutes until additional resources arrived.
With the attackers outnumbered, they fled into the surrounding area, leaving a female bystander having sustained a gunshot wound, along with a wounded driver of a towing service that had arrived on the accident scene, Smith said.
“Noticing a security bakkie driving through the scene with a passenger seated on the back, the vehicle was stopped and the passenger questioned.
“The driver explained how he had been threatened to provide the passenger an escort past the police presence, the passenger being a wanted member of the Mongrels gang, and wanting safe passage past the policing agencies through to the Kampies informal settlement.
“The passenger was removed from the security company's vehicle and placed under arrest,” Smith said.
Using fortified, hardened armour vehicles for protection, members patrolled the area throughout the night, he added.
Meanwhile the City said it was deploying nearly 1000 Metro Police students to hotspots across the city including gang areas over the summer season.
The Metro Police students will be deployed to beaches, public swimming pools, mountains and hiking trails, shopping malls and more.
“A year ago we took in 1000 students in a learnership program, to qualify them as Metro Police and Traffic officers. Fully accredited to international standards - students need to not only qualify in all the curriculum requirements, but they also need to qualify in the additional standards that we are building upon,” Smith said.
Cape Times
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