Heroic 12-year-old Neil Brenkman managed to sneak his father’s 9mm pistol to him during an armed robbery at their Pretoria home on Saturday night, reported News24 on Monday.
One of the gang of robbers was killed in the ensuing gunfight. The others fled.
”I kept praying. Neil was the hero of the day. If it weren’t for him, we’d all be dead,” said his mother, Petro.
”My nerves are shot. I don’t think I’m a hero,” said Neil.
The family and their friends were attacked at their home in Amandasig at about 10.30pm. The robbers forced Neil’s parents, Nick and Petro, as well as visitors Alice and Jack D’Almeida on to a veranda.
Neil managed to get away and got his father’s gun from the safe. When one of the robbers came in to herd him on to the veranda as well, Neil hid the weapon in his trousers, walked up to his dad and sneaked the firearm to him. A robber saw this and opened fire.
Brenkman fired until his pistol jammed. ”It was just one helluva racket. You don’t know who is shooting and who’s down,” he said.
”I knew I had to do something, so I went to fetch the weapon,” said Neil. ”I didn’t really think — just that I should help.”
Petro was hit in the ankle, Nick was shot in the hand and Alice D’Almeida tore a ligament.
The body of one of the robbers was found outside the house. He had been shot several times.
Netcare 911 spokesperson Mark Stokoe said: ”The 12-year-old boy has now been in three such like incidents and was cool, calm and collected, as his dad said.” — Sapa