KwaZulu-Natal cops shot during prison escape die

Two KwaZulu-Natal police officers who were shot during a prison escape have died, police confirmed on Friday.

"Both of them died in hospital overnight," Major Thulani Zwane told News24. 

The two were Warrant Officers at the Nyoni police station, about 100km south of Durban. 

The officers had gone to cells on Thursday and were overpowered by the two prisoners who took their guns and shot them, Zwane said.

Another officer, who had been in the charge office, then took out his gun and starting shooting at the prisoners.

One of the prisoners was shot dead while the second fled and was still at large. 

Paramedics said one of the police officers had been shot in the face, and the other three times in the abdomen.

Source: News24