Cape Town – The Independent Police Investigative Directive (IPID) is reportedly investigating a case of attempted murder after two women were allegedly shot and injured by police officers in Pretoria.
The incident happened on Wednesday when the police allegedly shot at a taxi while following up on a robbery tip-off.
According to News24, IPID national spokesperson Grace Langa said it is alleged that a woman who lives in Extension 6 in Soshanguve requested her neighbour, a taxi driver, to take her to Soshanguve Block BB clinic, as her 3-year-old child had fallen ill.
The neighbour agreed, and used his Toyota Quantum minibus to take them to the clinic. It was around 23:30.
There were five occupants in the car – the driver, the mother and child, and another male and female.
Langa said officers from the National Intervention Unit in Pretoria and the Soshanguve Tracing Unit were working around the Soshanguve area at that time, and they had information that a White Toyota Quantum was involved in robberies in the area, IOL reported.
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“It is alleged the police spotted a Quantum taxi that fitted the description of the information they had.
“It is reported that the police tried to stop the taxi driver, but instead, the driver did not stop. Instead, he opted to accelerate, which led to the police throwing a stern granite towards the taxi, but the driver proceeded to drive away.
“It is reported that the police were driving an unmarked vehicle and the taxi driver thought he was going to be hijacked. It is further reported that while the police were shooting at the driver of the taxi, they were, at the same time, showing a blue light after which the driver noticed and stopped out of the road,” the report quoted Langa as saying.
Officers discovered that the two women were injured – one of them was shot in the left side of her leg and the other on the right leg and arm.
They were both rushed to Goerge Mkhari Hospital by ambulance.
“Eight R-5 empty cases and a stun grenade canister were found on the scene. Investigations are continuing,” Langa said.
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