Officers shot trying to calm armed father
25 August 2008, 08:25
Two Pretoria policemen were seriously injured when a man allegedly trying to kill his family opened fire on them.
Superintendent Louis Lessing of the Tshwane Metro Police and Constable Christo von Mollendorf were trying to persuade the gunman to surrender when he shot them during the early hours of Saturday morning in Pretoria Gardens.
Von Mollendorf, who is part of the Hercules police station crime prevention unit, had just finished an operation with colleagues when they received a call for help from an off duty policeman.
Surrounding the house before the gunman arrived, police positioned themselves at strategic points to wait for the suspect.
As the suspect arrived Lessing, who is a family friend of the gunman, stopped him near the house in Schurmanns Street and tried to persuade the man to surrender.
Captain Tessa Jansen said as Lessing spoke to the gunman, an argument broke out and the man pulled out a gun and opened fire.
Jansen said Lessing, who is an investigating officer in the Internal Conduct Unit, was seriously injured. He was shot in the chest, buttocks and leg.
"Police, who had surrounded the house, immediately opened fire but missed the suspect who shot Von Mollendorf in the arm.
"A policeman managed to run up behind the gunman as he carried on shooting and disarmed and arrested him," she said.
She said that a 7.65mm pistol had been seized from the man.
She said information given to police indicated that the man was trying to kill his ex-wife and son following an argument with the family earlier in the day.
Jansen said neither the man's ex-wife nor his son were injured during the shooting.
"Both policemen were taken to Eugene Marais Hospital where they are in serious conditions," she said.
Tshwane Metro Police spokesperson Louise Brits said Lessing was recovering in the hospital's intensive care unit.
Jansen said the suspect would appear in court this week on two charges of attempted murder.
She said more charges could be added at a later stage.
Superintendent Louis Lessing of the Tshwane Metro Police and Constable Christo von Mollendorf were trying to persuade the gunman to surrender when he shot them during the early hours of Saturday morning in Pretoria Gardens.
Von Mollendorf, who is part of the Hercules police station crime prevention unit, had just finished an operation with colleagues when they received a call for help from an off duty policeman.
Surrounding the house before the gunman arrived, police positioned themselves at strategic points to wait for the suspect.
As the suspect arrived Lessing, who is a family friend of the gunman, stopped him near the house in Schurmanns Street and tried to persuade the man to surrender.
Captain Tessa Jansen said as Lessing spoke to the gunman, an argument broke out and the man pulled out a gun and opened fire.
Jansen said Lessing, who is an investigating officer in the Internal Conduct Unit, was seriously injured. He was shot in the chest, buttocks and leg.
"Police, who had surrounded the house, immediately opened fire but missed the suspect who shot Von Mollendorf in the arm.
"A policeman managed to run up behind the gunman as he carried on shooting and disarmed and arrested him," she said.
She said that a 7.65mm pistol had been seized from the man.
She said information given to police indicated that the man was trying to kill his ex-wife and son following an argument with the family earlier in the day.
Jansen said neither the man's ex-wife nor his son were injured during the shooting.
"Both policemen were taken to Eugene Marais Hospital where they are in serious conditions," she said.
Tshwane Metro Police spokesperson Louise Brits said Lessing was recovering in the hospital's intensive care unit.
Jansen said the suspect would appear in court this week on two charges of attempted murder.
She said more charges could be added at a later stage.
- This article was originally published on page 3 of The Pretoria News on August 25, 2008
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