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- Three suspected hijackers have been killed in a shootout with police.
- The suspects allegedly attempted to hijack a car in Johannesburg.
- Two arrests were made.
Three suspected hijackers have been shot dead in Johannesburg and another two have been arrested.
At around 13:00 on Wednesday, Hawks officers were following up on a tip-off about people who were believed to be involved in a spate of hijackings in the province.
They were traced to 5th Avenue in Discovery, Roodepoort, where they were spotted allegedly "hijacking a VW Polo and forcing the victim into the back seat of the hijacked Polo", IPID spokesperson Grace Langa said.
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A shootout ensued.
Initially, two of the suspected hijackers were killed and another two, aged 30 and 35, were arrested.
"A 22 pistol with two live rounds was found next to one of the suspects who was shot [in] the chest. A 9mm Z88 pistol was found on the passenger seat of the hijacked Polo," Langa added.
Police chased after a fifth suspected hijacker who attempted to escape in a getaway vehicle. The vehicle came to a stop on the corner of Essex Street and Nelson Avenue, where the wounded driver was found. The driver died at the scene. A 9mm with seven live rounds were found inside the vehicle.
The driver of the Polo was shot in his neck, allegedly by the hijackers. He was taken to hospital.
Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Philani Nkwalase confirmed that three suspected hijackers died "during the exchange of gunfire".
He said:
Those who were arrested will be charged with murder, attempted murder, carjacking, and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, Nkwalase added.
They are expected to appear in Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Friday.
"Preliminary investigation revealed the suspects are also linked to more than 18 hijacking cases committed in the Gauteng area," Nkwalase said.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is investigating the shooting.
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