EASTERN CAPE. – Three men were killed on Monday in a shootout with members of the police's tactical response unit (TRU) in the Nothintsila area near Ngqeleni.
Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana, police spokesperson, said TRU members from Mthatha received information about three men allegedly involved in extortion who had collected money from local shops. The members came upon three men on the Nothintsila dirt road at approximately 10:15 who matched the suspects' description. As the police members stopped their vehicles and approached the men, the suspects allegedly opened fire on them. The members returned fire and all three men were fatally wounded.
Three pistols with their serial numbers filed off were found at the scene. The deceased have not yet been identified. Cases of attempted murder and the possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition have been opened.
The independent police investigative directorate (IPID) has been called in in terms of legislation to investigate the deaths resulting from police action. The police are appealing to anyone with information about the men's identity or alleged extortion activities to come forward.
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
