Good cop, bad cop in shootout

2003-12-18 22:21

Tom de Wet

Welkom - A young police officer from the Welkom dog unit is in a critical condition in hospital after allegedly being shot by a colleague, who was driving a police vehicle filled with sheep.

The colleague, an inspector from the police's farm security unit, was shot dead in an ensuing gun battle.

Another policeman and a civilian who were also in the vehicle were arrested.

Director Cois Muller, acting area commissioner for the Northern Free State, said members of the dog unit and flying squad had followed the police vehicle after noticing how heavily loaded it was.

The patrol van stopped at a garage near the police station and Thompson approached it. A shot was fired out the window at him, and he sustained a wound to the chest

A shootout ensued and inspector Jonas Baloyi was shot in the head.

Muller said that all the firearms used in the shootout were seized so that ballistic tests could be carried out to determine who fired off what shot.

He said eight sheep were recovered from the police van.

More were found alongside the road. It is believed the thieves had planned to collect them later.

- Volksblad