Eight robbery suspects were killed during an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement near Richards Bay, South Africa, on Thursday. Officers recovered three firearms, two replica weapons, and tools for breaking into houses.
The eight men were believed to be en route to Esikhawini, where they intended to rob a store when they were involved in a police shoot-out.
According to KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Col Robert Netshiunda, a tip-off led law enforcement to locate the suspects, who were seen driving on the John Ross highway just before midnight. He added that the driver did not comply with the order to stop and accelerated away.
“A high-speed chase occurred, during which the suspects opened fire on the police. The police returned fire. In the shoot-out, all eight suspects were fatally injured.
“The suspects, who were also connected to a recent cash-in-transit robbery in the Mzingazi area, had three firearms, two replica weapons, and burglary tools in their possession.”
Authorities are looking into whether the firearms are connected to other criminal activities. Netshiunda said that the recent shoot-out increased the total number of suspects who have died in shootouts this week to ten.
On Wednesday, one suspect was killed in F Section in Umlazi while another suspect was killed during a confrontation with police, and two others were apprehended in F Section in KwaMashu on Thursday.
Police had responded to reports of a vehicle theft in Phoenix. The stolen vehicle was located in KwaMashu and had three occupants. When they noticed the police, one suspect exited the vehicle and shot at the officers.
