Cape Town - Metro police department officers arrested an attempted murder suspect minutes after an alleged incident. The arrest was one of 339 made by the City of Cape Town’s enforcement agencies in the past week.
The officers were en route to report at the shadow centre on the N2 this morning when they noticed four men in a scuffle on the on-ramp to Jake's Gerwel Drive.
When the officers stopped, they saw one of the suspects brandishing a firearm. He bolted at the sight of them.
They caught up with him and found a Vector 9mm pistol loaded with 11 live rounds of ammunition in his possession.
At the scene of the scuffle, the officers found one man with gunshot wounds and alerted paramedics. They treated the victim and transported him to hospital.
The gun still had its serial number and was found to have been stolen in Mitchell’s Plain.
The 20-year-old suspect, who was detained at Manenberg SAPS, will be charged with attempted murder, armed robbery, the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
“The officers who made the arrest were still on their way to report for duty when they saved a man’s life and caught his assailant. It’s testament to their dedication to preserve law and order and their commitment to serving our communities,” said Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith.
Metro police officers made 54 arrests and issued 3 351 fines for various transgressions.
The past weekend, the Public Emergency Communication Centre (PECC) recorded 1 738 incidents, including 117 fires, 94 cases of assault, 50 cases of domestic violence and 40 road accidents.
Traffic officers made 51 arrests of which 50 were for driving under the influence and one for reckless and negligent driving.
Law enforcement officers conducted 464 enforcement operations during which 234 suspects were arrested.
Officers also issued 3 170 notices for various transgressions.
“Simply because the festive period is over does not mean we can relax our guard. Our officers remain vigilant and visible. They will continue to crack down on illegal and lawless behaviour,” added Smith.
Residents are reminded to phone 021 480 77 00 from a cell phone and 107 from a landline to report any criminal activity or emergency.