Rustenburg – A 19-year-old man was arrested after he went on a two-day shooting spree in Cradock in the Eastern Cape.
The man allegedly shot dead his mother and wounded a truck driver in two separate incident.
“On Wednesday September 7 at about noon, police were summoned to a complaint of murder at a farm outside Cradock. At the scene, police found the body of Eva Smit, 39, with a gunshot wound in the upper body.
“Police followed up some leads, which resulted in the implementation of a 72-hour activation plan, and a hunt for the suspect resumed,” said police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli.
“The following day, September 8 at about 19:30, police received a complaint of shooting on the N10 towards Middleburg. At the scene, a truck driver sustained several gunshot wounds in the upper body and was rushed to hospital.”
Nkohli said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect allegedly involved in shooting of the truck driver was the same who fatally shot Smit.
“The search was intensified and expanded to cover a vast area, from various SAPS units with the assistance from community groups and private security companies, which volunteered their services, and worked around the clock.
“On Friday afternoon, September 9, the tracing and tracking teams including police tracker dogs cornered and apprehended the suspect in a water slope about 20 kilometres outside Cradock.”
Police also recovered a firearm, and a truck’s key in his possession. He was expected to appear in the Cradock Magistrate’s Court on Monday, facing charges of murder, attempted murder, possession of a stolen firearm and ammunition with an additional charge of theft.
IOL