Mystery surrounds CBD shoot-out

Date: 12 December 2016 By: Isabel Venter

Louis Trichardt is abuzz, following a mysterious shoot-out near the town’s central business district.

Details surrounding the incident that occurred along Erasmus Street on Monday morning are sketchy at best. The newspaper was, however, able to confirm that only one person was injured, and not two as was previously reported.

According to the Makhado Police’s spokesperson, Const Irene Radzilane, an Indian male got shot during the incident. The man was wounded in his right arm and after medical treatment was up and about again.  

The man was driving a silver Mercedes SUV, with a female passenger sitting next to him, when the shooting took place. What happened next is also a mystery to the local police. They were stunned when the wounded man bluntly refused to assist them in their investigations. Not only did the man refuse to open a case with the police, but he also refused to tell the police what had happened or why somebody had been shooting at him.

The reason for the shooting could have been any number of things, ranging from a botched robbery to an attempt on the man’s life, but his lack of cooperation makes things difficult for the local police. They have tried, to no avail, to persuade the man to give a statement. Not even pleading could convince the man.

Due to the lack of an official police docket or charge, the man cannot be identified either.

Beside the bullet holes in the man’s SUV, the only other evidence the police were able to find was a recovered 9mm cartridge on the scene. Currently, the police are hoping for passersby to come forward with information on what they had witnessed before and during the incident.

In the meantime, the police have opened a docket to investigate the unlawful discharge of a firearm in a municipal area. “It is our duty to investigate this matter and find the culprits. We cannot just stand by while the lives of innocent residents are being threatened,” said Radzilane.

Members of the public with information that can assist the police in their investigation are urged to report to the Makhado Police Station at Tel 015 519 4300 or 079 889 6222. Alternatively, the Crime Stop number can be called at 0860 01 0111 or the 24-hour crime line at 32211.

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Isabel Venter

Isabel joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in 2009 as a reporter. She holds a BA Degree in Communication Sciences from the University of South Africa. Her beat is mainly crime and court reporting.

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