Benoni police shoot two underneath the N12 bridge
The three were shot at after they crashed their vehicle into four cars underneath the N12 highway bridge in Tom Jones Street, Benoni, at around 10.30am, on Monday (May 16).
Two suspects were arrested, while a third escaped on foot, following a shoot-out between them and police.
Benoni police spokesperson Const Zunickha Essakjee said the men were involved in a house break-in.
“Police were informed of a house break-in in Atlasville, by three men who escaped in a white Polo,” Essakjee said.
“After the vehicle was spotted in Rynfield, police members gave chase and they eventually ended up on the N12, direction Johannesburg, where the suspects took the Tom Jones off-ramp.”
According to Essakjee, the suspects drove up Tom Jones Street, then made a u-turn, driving into the one-way traffic.
They hit a silver Chrysler, the police car chasing them and two more cars.
“Sgt Vernon Alladipan shot at the suspects, after which they returned fire,” Essakjee added.
“One lay on the ground, while the other two ran up the bridge.”
She said the officers shot at the suspects, two of whom were caught, while the third escaped.
Essakjee said a bloodied shirt was found on the highway, suspected to be that of the escaped suspect. “But the nature of his injuries are unknown, if it is his blood,” Essakjee said.
The two suspects who were arrested, had been shot in the upper body and were taken, under police guard, to Tembisa Hospital by ER24.
Capt Allie van der Berg confirmed the two arrested suspects are connected to five house break-ins between them, in Crystal Park, the Benoni CBD and Boksburg.
Alladipan and WO Jaco Myburgh were the SAPS members who chased the suspects.
The suspects will be charged with attempted murder and housebreaking.
