Man dies in shoot-out with police in KZN

Police were patrolling the suburb on Sunday afternoon and tried to flag down a car with nine occupants, said Major Thulani Zwane.

 

The occupants jumped out and ran towards nearby bushed while shooting at the officers.

 

"The members retaliated and one suspect was fatally shot."

 

The dead man was identified as Msizi Mthimkhulu, 25. Two unlicensed firearms -- an AK-47 assault rifle and a pistol -- were found.

 

Three men were arrested and would appear in the Newlands Magistrate's Court soon.

 

"Our members are killed by ruthless criminals while keeping peace and security in our country and we will not tolerate such attacks on police officers," provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Mmamonnye Ngobeni said.

 

On Sunday, two police officers were shot dead and the third wounded on the N3 south in Modderfontein, Johannesburg.

 

One officer died on the scene and a second died later in hospital. The third was in a critical condition.

 

The motive for the shooting was not known. The gunmen fled in a Mercedes-Benz they hijacked, which they abandoned near the scene