Reiger Park, Ekurhuleni – A high-stakes murder investigation that has gripped the community of Reiger Park has taken a dramatic and unexpected turn. While the South African Police Service has hailed the arrest of a 23-year-old man as a major breakthrough in the cold-blooded killing of two elite Anti-Gang Unit officers and two innocent women, explosive new claims suggest the real shooter might still be on the loose. A second suspect, a 24-year-old man, was arrested on Sunday afternoon following an intensive tracing operation, but the case is already being overshadowed by allegations that the first man charged, Reagan Cheslin Collis, was not the person who pulled the trigger.
The brutal incident, which unfolded on Friday, August 7, 2026, has left the community of Reiger Park in a state of mourning and fear. The tragedy began when two Gauteng Anti-Gang Unit officers, Constables Thapelo Tlomatsana, 29, and Sphiwe Sibeko, 28, were conducting routine crime-prevention patrols in the area. Hearing the sudden crack of gunshots that claimed the lives of two civilian women, Roleen Lessing and Jaydin Margerman, the brave officers immediately drove toward the source of the noise. Tragically, they were met with a hail of bullets in a deadly ambush that left both officers dead at the scene.
In the days following the shooting, police launched a massive, multidisciplinary tracing operation involving the Hawks, the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police, and the Flying Squad. This operation led to the arrest of Reagan Cheslin Collis at the KwaDukathole informal settlement in Germiston, where two powerful R5 rifles were also recovered. Police have remained firm in their stance that Collis is the primary gunman responsible for the quadruple murder. He currently faces a staggering list of charges, including four counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, and two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, alongside charges for possessing unlicensed firearms.
However, the official police version of events is now being fiercely disputed. A source familiar with the investigation, who has reportedly viewed CCTV footage of the attack, claims that Collis was not the shooter. According to this version of events, the footage shows a completely different man—wearing a dark hoodie and red tracksuit pants—opening fire on the two women before fleeing the scene in a silver-grey Volkswagen Polo. Most shockingly, the source alleges that the video shows Collis inside his grandmother’s house at the exact moment the shooting took place, only emerging afterward to confront the real gunman and shouting, “I saw you!”
This new evidence suggests that the attack may have been part of a violent and long-standing rivalry between Collis and a notorious local gang known as the “Sour Boys.” It is claimed that Collis and his associates had received direct threats on Facebook from members of the Sour Boys just hours before the bullets started flying. If this version is true, the attack was intended to target Collis himself, and the innocent women and responding police officers were caught in the crossfire of a gang war that has been brewing for months.
Despite these conflicting reports, the police have continued to move forward with their investigation. The latest arrest of the 24-year-old suspect on Sunday is seen by authorities as a significant step toward bringing everyone involved to justice. Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane has publicly welcomed the role played by the Reiger Park community in assisting with the investigation. “This arrest is not only a victory for SAPS; it is also a demonstration of the power of a community that refuses to be silenced by criminals,” Dimpane stated, urging residents to continue standing with the police.
For the families of the fallen officers and the two women who lost their lives, the search for the truth is an agonizing process. Constables Tlomatsana and Sibeko are being remembered as heroes who gave their lives while trying to protect their community, but the possibility that the wrong man is sitting in the dock has created a sense of unease. Lieutenant-General Dimpane has assured residents that law enforcement will not stop until every person responsible for the violence is behind bars. “We want the people of Reiger Park to know that we hear you. Your information matters, and your courage strengthens our investigations,” she added.
As Reagan Cheslin Collis prepares for his formal bail application on August 25, all eyes will be on the court to see how this new evidence is handled. If the CCTV footage does indeed show a different shooter, it will raise serious questions about the initial police investigation and the safety of those who have been caught in the middle of the Sour Boys gang war. For now, Reiger Park remains a community on edge, waiting to see if the real killers will finally be brought to justice or if the cycle of violence and confusion will continue to haunt their streets.
