Second cop dies in Joburg shooting
Gauteng police have confirmed the second policeman shot in Dobsonville, Soweto, has died.
"He died at the hospital," Colonel Lungelo Dlaminin told News24.
His colleague was shot dead on the scene when a large gang chased them and opened fire on them.
As one of the policemen lay slumped in an unmarked Ford Figo, a bullet hole in the windshield, police fanned out to catch the gang who had brazenly chased their colleagues in two Golf GTis before gunning them down.
"I've never heard anything like this in my life. It was a war. It was terrible," said Linah Monnaemang, 71, who lives in a house nearby.
All four side windows of the Figo were shattered and a pool of blood dried on the road next to it.
The second officer died soon after the shooting.
Forensic officers in blue suits and gloves searched for clues with seven cones marking the position of bullet casings in Xaxi road, Extension 2.
Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said around 13:00 one red and one white Golf GTi with North West registration plates chased the 50-year-old warrant officer and the 40-year-old constable based at Moroka police station. The cops were in the unmarked Ford Figo.
During the chase, the cops crashed into a civilian driving a white Mercedes Benz and the gang jumped out their vehicles, opening fire on them.
The police did not know why the gang had done this and urged the public to help them with information to track the killers.
Dlamini did not release the names of the policemen, members of the family violence, child protection and sexual offences investigations unit, as the families had not yet been notified.
The gang stole their firearms and the case dockets the police had had with them.
People at a shebeen across the road claimed to have seen nothing.
Gauteng community safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane said the second officer was fighting for his life. Due to brief the media on progress into investigations about police officer killings on Wednesday afternoon, she had started off with the sad news.
"Two of our officers were attacked in Dobsonville. One of them was fatally wounded and one is fighting for his life as we speak."
On Sunday, the police held a commemoration ceremony at the Union Buildings in Pretoria for police officers killed either on or off duty.
Police statistics indicate in the 2014/2015 financial year 86 police officers were killed, while between January 1 and August 24 this year, 58 officers have died - 27 on duty and 31 off duty.
Anyone with information on Wednesday's incident, can contact 08600 10 111 or SMS Crime Line on 32211.
(File photo: Gallo Images)