Car chase and shootout on N3

A POLICE dog and a man were both killed on Friday after police caught two men in a car chase and shootout on the N3.

In a suspected stock theft tip-off, police set up a roadblock on the northbound Church Street off-ramp. The vehicle in question did not stop, and this resulted in a chase.

According to police sources, the vehicle in question turned onto the New England off-ramp where it slowed down but when an officer approached it with his firearm, the vehicle quickly sped off.

“The vehicle drove onto the oncoming lane on New England Road and turned back onto the N3, while firing shots at us to which we fired back,” said the source.

The source said that one man was shot dead while the vehicle was in motion. This cause the driver to stop near Market Road where the other two men from the car ran out into the nearby fields.

A chase on foot ensued and police dog Brynmor was released to catch the men but was unfortunately killed in the line of duty as a truck on the highway ran over the dog in the commotion.

Heavy traffic was experienced throughout the day on the N3 after only one lane was opened. This caused traffic to back up all the way to New England Road. Spokesperson for the police Colonel Thembeka Mbhele said that an attempted murder case had been opened and that the case had been transferred to the Organised Crime Unit.