Cape Town – The funeral of the police officer who was shot last week Wednesday during a hijacking in Umbilo, will be held at St Joseph’s Catholic Church on Florida Road in Durban on Monday.
According to IOL, on the day of the incident, Warrant Officer Michael Akhurst Jameson, 52, was off-duty and was on his way to fetch his daughter from school in Umbilo when he noticed a hijacking in progress.
“The member immediately placed himself on duty and responded to the incident. Upon noticing that the member was armed, the suspects opened fire. The member returned fire but sadly succumbed to his injuries on scene,” the report quoted police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker as saying.
The two vehicles hijacked by the two suspects were found abandoned after the suspects crashed as they tried to avoid arrest.
Police had since deployed the necessary resources to find the suspects.
Following the incident, National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola said Jameson died a hero.
“He indeed served with pride as he placed himself on duty put the safety of his community before his own. Let me take this opportunity to pay gratitude to her deceased member….We will not rest until the late members’s killers are traced and apprehended to answer to this callous act,” News24 quoted Masemola as saying.
Meanwhile, messages of support for Jameson’s family continued to pour in on social media following his wife’s Facebook post.
The South African Community Crime Watch Hillcrest wrote: “Farewell to a friend who gave his life to serve and protect. This is the character that officer Michael Jameson revealed in all the time that we have known him.
“The term ’Off Duty’ did not apply to him. He was a dedicated police officer who would help any time of day or night.”
Jameson is survived by his long-standing partner, Michelle, his children Christine and Jessica, his mother, Anne-Marie and sister, Sherill.
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation can contact their nearest police station or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
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