Police have made a breakthrough in the murder of a 12-year-old Mitchells Plain girl who was killed after being hit by a stray bullet.
“Sterling, around the clock investigative work by the investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Bradley Schuurman attached to the Anti-Gang Unit, led to the arrest of a 27-year-old man on Wednesday in Eastridge, Mitchells Plain, on a charge of murder,” said police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi.
The incident on Tuesday occurred when rival gangs allegedly exchanged gunfire while the child was at school, situated in Kyalami Street, Beacon Valley, Mitchells Plain.
The pupil was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel.
The suspect is due to appear in the Mitchells Plain Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
The war against crime is clearly a war that those in charge are losing, said Jonathan Cupido, GOOD Party councillor in the City.
“We need to address the root cause of the problem by investing in adequate social services, and focus on the development and upliftment of our communities.
“Always blaming budget cuts and scarce resources when it comes to crime and its prevention is no longer acceptable. Nor is throwing money at our current policing system in consistently poor attempts to fix symptoms, instead of contributing to the noticeable prevention of crime,” he said.
Meanwhile, three suspected robbers were arrested moments after allegedly robbing an off-duty law enforcement officer in Kuilsriver on Monday.
“Law Enforcement Rapid Response Unit officers were on patrol in the Highbury area in Kuilsriver when they received information of three male suspects who had just robbed an off-duty Law Enforcement officer who had walked to the local school to collect his child.
“The officers located the suspects and swiftly disarmed them. The firearm was found to be an imitation,” the City said.
Cape Times