Two suspected ATM bombers‚ part of a gang which led police on a high-speed car chase through Madadeni in central KwaZulu-Natal‚ were killed during a gun battle with cops on Wednesday night.
It is understood that a heavily armed gang of men had bombed an ATM at a shopping centre and had fired on police who had responded to a report of the explosion.
During a hail of bullets‚ three bystanders were wounded. One of them injured later died in hospital.
The gunmen fled with police in hot pursuit. As officers from other areas responded to the call for backup and the net began closing in‚ the gang again opened fire on officers.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane said that the group was eventually corned as they took refuge in a homestead near KwaMdakane.
"Police surrounded a homestead where the suspects fled. As police approached the homestead‚ they came under attack again‚” he said.
"During the exchange of gunfire two suspects were fatally wounded. Three firearms‚ a R5 rifle‚ an AK47 rifle and a pistol‚ were recovered from the scene. Cases of armed robbery‚ murder‚ attempted murder‚ possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition were opened for further investigation. A man hunt is underway for those suspects who managed to escape during the shootout‚” Zwane added.
This follows a similar attack two days earlier when a gang of cash-in-transit robbers shot and killed a security guard and wounded another during an attack in Madadeni.
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