An off-duty police officer allegedly killed five relatives, including two four-year-old twin girls, in a bloody killing spree in the Cape Town area on Tuesday night, police said.
The 48-year-old inspector, who had taken leave, shot each of his victims in the head, execution-style, said Western Cape police spokesperson Superintendent Riaan Pool.
The man stormed into a house in Hercules Street in Phoenix Village, Milnerton, and allegedly shot a 35-year-old woman at about 8.30pm.
Three girls — two four-year-old twins and a six-year-old — were also in the house. After hearing the gunshot from the bedroom, they tried to escape by running into the street.
”Unfortunately, he caught up with them and shot the twins in the middle of the road,” said Pool, who spent most of the night at the scene.
”The third girl almost made it inside a neighbour’s house. All four were shot at point-blank range in the head and died on the scene.”
He said it was horrific to see the girls lying in the street, having nearly escaped their killer.
The police officer, working in the Eastern Cape, then went to another house on Hlosi Street in Joe Slovo, where he found and allegedly murdered a 43-year-old man.
After the second shooting, neighbours chased the police officer for 1,5km through the suburb before catching him on Bosmansdam Road.
”They made a citizen’s arrest and handed him over to police,” Pool said.
The motive for the murders is not known at this stage, said Pool. Police have done all they can to collect as much information as possible.
The alleged murder weapon, a 9mm pistol, was confiscated from the suspect and handed over to the police.
The case is being investigated by the police and the Independent Complaints Directorate.
Pool could not say when the man will appear in court as he has been hospitalised for injuries, probably sustained during his arrest by the community members. — Sapa