The victim in a hijacking incident in Glenwood, Durban, on Wednesday night has died in hospital after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.
The man was allegedly shot during an attempted hijacking on Clark Road. He was taken to hospital but later succumbed to his injuries, ALS Paramedics confirmed on Thursday morning.
The suspect accused of shooting him was also killed after exchanging fire with police and crashing a hijacked e-hailing vehicle into a nearby property.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said officers were conducting a routine patrol when they saw a man firing shots next to a BMW parked on Clark Road.
“Police responded, and a shootout ensued between the police and the suspect,” Netshiunda said.
The suspect allegedly fled on foot towards Ryde Avenue after the first exchange of gunfire. Police said he then hijacked an e-hailing vehicle that had just dropped off a client.
The suspect allegedly drove the stolen vehicle towards Che Guevara Road while continuing to fire shots.
Netshiunda said additional police and Metro Police officers were deployed to the area. The suspect was eventually outmanoeuvred by several police vehicles.
“He attempted to flee but lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a nearby property and was declared deceased on the scene,” Netshiunda said.
The suspect’s identity had not been released at the time of the latest police update.
The victim had been driving or was in control of the BMW when the suspect allegedly attempted to hijack it. Police said the man was shot during the attack and later died in hospital.
ALS Paramedics confirmed that the victim had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and had succumbed to his injuries after being admitted for medical treatment.
The death changes the case from an attempted hijacking and shooting investigation to a fatal shooting and hijacking investigation. Police are still establishing the full sequence of events, including the movements of the suspect and the vehicles involved.
Police said the suspect continued firing as he travelled from the initial scene towards Che Guevara Road. Several police vehicles were damaged by gunfire during the pursuit.
No police officer was injured in the shootout, Netshiunda said.
“Although several police vehicles were riddled with bullet holes, no police officer was injured during the shootout,” he said.
Police also rejected reports circulating on social media that a bystander or a student had been hit by a stray bullet during the confrontation.
Netshiunda described those reports as false and malicious. He said police had not confirmed that anyone other than the BMW owner was wounded in the incident.
The suspect’s nationality had also not been confirmed. Netshiunda previously warned that social media claims that the man was a foreign national were premature.
“Police will release verified information in due time,” he said.
The suspect’s escape began after police responded to reports of shots being fired next to the BMW on Clark Road. He allegedly left the scene on foot and then forced an e-hailing driver out of the vehicle after the driver had dropped off a passenger.
The suspect allegedly used the hijacked vehicle to travel towards Che Guevara Road while firing shots. A static deployment of police and Metro Police officers responded to the vehicle’s movement.
The suspect eventually lost control and crashed into the gate or property of a nearby house. He was declared dead at the scene.
The person who had been dropped off by the e-hailing driver was not reported to have been injured. Police have not released details about the e-hailing driver’s condition or whether the driver was physically harmed during the hijacking.
A private security company that patrols parts of Umbilo also reported the initial incident. Homeland Security said an attempted hijacking had occurred on Clark Road involving a white Hyundai i20.
The security company said suspects allegedly fled towards Umbilo Road before encountering a South African Police Service team stationed near Che Guevara Road.
The private security account referred to a different vehicle from the BMW mentioned in the police account. Investigators will establish the exact sequence of events and determine which vehicles were involved at each stage of the incident.
Police will also investigate the shots fired at the BMW owner, the hijacking of the e-hailing vehicle and the gunfire directed at police vehicles.
The suspect’s death means he will not face a criminal trial, but the circumstances of the shooting remain under investigation. Police will need to establish how the confrontation began and whether anyone else was involved.
The BMW owner’s death was confirmed on Thursday morning after the man had been taken to hospital with multiple gunshot wounds.
No police officer was injured, and police said no bystander or student was struck by a stray bullet during the shootout.
The reports circulating online about the suspect’s nationality had not been verified. Police said they would release further information once the suspect’s identity and other details had been confirmed.
The incident affected the Clark Road, Ryde Avenue and Che Guevara Road areas as the suspect allegedly moved through Umbilo and Glenwood in the hijacked vehicle.
The crash brought the escape to an end. The suspect was declared dead at the scene, while the BMW owner later died in hospital.
The investigation remains open. Police have not released the names of the victim or the dead suspect, and further details about the e-hailing driver and the firearm used in the incident were not immediately available.