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The KwaZulu-Natal police officer charged with two counts of murder after his wife and brother-in-law were shot dead inside a divorce court, has also died, police have confirmed.
Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele confirmed to News24 on Monday evening that the officer succumbed to his injuries, after being admitted to hospital when he turned the gun on himself following the shootings.
The incident took place in the Durban Magistrate's Court at around 11:30 on Monday.
"There was a divorce matter between the deceased and the suspect. At 11:00, the court adjourned and just before it started again at about 11:30, that's when the suspect allegedly fired shots towards his ex-wife and her brother," Mbele had told the media earlier.
Sources told News24 on Monday that the magistrate – who was hearing the divorce proceedings – had to come back into court after the shooting to provisionally confirm the identities of the bodies.
"The matter had stood down because the husband was not happy with the terms of the divorce settlement," a source who wanted to remain anonymous told News24.
"The magistrate told him (the accused) to get hold of his attorney. He then walked back into court and fired seven, maybe eight shots. One of them was when he shot himself in the head."
The couple has two children, aged two and 11. They are currently in Johannesburg, where their mother lived. She had flown down from Johannesburg for the divorce hearing.
Her boyfriend had been in the car park outside, the source said. When the boyfriend saw police and ambulances pull up, he ran into the building.
The wife and brother-in-law are between the ages of 26 and 35.
"They both died at the scene. The suspect turned the gun on himself but didn't die," Mbele had said earlier.
He had been admitted to a Durban hospital.
The court was sealed off on Monday for evidence to be collected.
An inquest into the deaths has been opened.
