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East London – A high-level task team worked through the night, looking for clues and analysing evidence that could lead them to the gunmen who killed five police officers and a former soldier in Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape.
A group of unknown attackers entered the Ngcobo police station, between Mthatha and Queenstown, on Wednesday and, without warning, randomly opened fire on officers who were on duty.
Three officers were killed at the police station.
The gunmen then separated the female police officers from their male counterparts, before taking six pistols, two shotguns and two assault rifles.
The retired soldier, who rushed to the scene, was shot dead as they fled.
The bodies of two additional officers were later found, shot execution style, along the roadside near Nyanga High School, about 6km from the police station.
Police spokesperson, Khaya Tonjeni, said the task team, which comprises, among others, detectives, the Hawks, Crime Intelligence, as well as the Tactical Response Team's tracing unit, had worked through the night, following the massacre.
READ: Eastern Cape cop murders: Team of top detectives appointed
Tonjeni said the task team had gone through the crime scene with a fine-tooth comb, looking for clues and analysing evidence collected.
He said the police were hoping for a breakthrough.
"On the service delivery front, we are also working on normalising the situation at the police station so that it continues to offer quality service to [the] Engcobo community," he said.
Families to be visited by top brass
Tonjeni said the top brass from the national and provincial offices had visited Ngcobo to pay their respects to the families of the officers who were killed.
Tonjeni said the visit followed words of condolences from Police Minister Fikile Mbalula, who had promised the families that the police officers would be afforded a state funeral, having died in the line of duty.
READ: Prayer service held at Ngcobo police station after massacre
