LEBOGANG SEALE
A METRO police officer is fighting for her life in hospital after allegedly shooting dead her boyfriend – also a police officer – before turning the gun on herself.
The shooting happened on Monday at the couple’s rented back room in Orlando East after a quarrel turned violent.
Constable Terry Chauke, 29, based at the local police station, died at the scene. His partner, whose name was not disclosed, was rushed to Chris Hani-Baragwanath Academic Hospital and later transferred to Milpark Hospital. Her condition was described as very critical late yesterday.
Chauke’s family, who travelled from Limpopo, were too distraught to talk to The Star.
Sources close to the investigations told The Star that the female officer, based in Sandton, had told a colleague that she intended to move out of their room a few hours before the shooting.
She arrived home to find that Chauke, who was using her car at the time, was not there. When he returned at about 4.30pm, an argument erupted. Gunshots were later heard, according to the landlady who owns the property. She had been phoned by another tenant while attending an event in the neighbourhood.
“The tenant said: ‘Have you heard? The police couple are fighting. We just heard gunshots and we don’t know who is shooting who’,” said the landlady, who asked that her identity not be revealed.
She dashed home to find onlookers and police officers outside her house.
“I saw blood on the stoep. I could see the lady (policewoman), she was rolling and her whole body was full of blood. My niece asked her what had happened, but she couldn’t talk. Only the man spoke, asking us to call his relative.
“He (Chauke) was soft spoken. He was a really cool guy and friendly.”
Joburg metro police department spokeswoman Edna Mamonyane said the policewoman, whose identity would be made known later, had not shown any signs of depression.
“She was talkative, full of energy and friendly,” Mamonyane said, adding that the officer had joined the JMPD in 2008.