Police shoots suspected robbers

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK



Two suspects who allegedly attacked a police patrol were shot and wounded in Windhoek yesterday morning.

The shooting occurred after five men, armed with a machete and a knife, charged at three police reservists in Cimbebasia.

According to police spokesperson Kauna Shikwambi, the reservists were patrolling a bushy area in the vicinity of Michelle McLean Street where two armed robberies had been reported two weeks ago.



Warning shots

“During the patrol, while the officers were standing, five men armed with a machete and a knife allegedly emerged from the bushes and charged at them.”

According to Shikwambi the reservists shouted that they were police, whereupon three of the men ran away but the other two continued charging at the officers.

The officers fired warning shots but the suspects were undeterred.

One suspect was shot in the thigh and the other in the lower leg. They were taken to hospital and are in a stable condition.

A machete and a knife were found at the scene.



Warning

Shikwambi said one of the injured suspects claimed to be a farmworker patrolling the area on horseback. His claim could not be verified as there is no nearby farm and no horse was seen in the area.

A case of attempted armed robbery has been registered and the investigation continues.

“The public is cautioned to be on alert as cases of robbery and housebreaking are on the increase. The public is also urged to immediately report any suspicious movement or activities,” Shikwambi said.