Mom shot while protecting child

2008-12-02 09:44

Buks Viljoen

Carolina - A mother probably saved her three-year-old daughter's life when she lay down on top of her to protect her from robbers' bullets on Sunday, and was shot five times herself.

Erika Zeeman, 28, was shot and injured after her husband, Inspector Piet Zeeman, 48, chased after five suspects who robbed a fuel station in Carolina, Mpumalanga. The family came across the robbery by accident.

When the shooting started, Erika leaned over onto the back seat and lay down on top of her daughter Demi to protect her. One of the robbers walked to the car, pushed his pistol through the open car window and shot her five times in the back.

Inspector Zeeman said the family had stopped at the Hercules fuel station at around 20:30 on Sunday evening.

"I thought it odd when a man came walking along and said there was no fuel and I should drive on. I told him I didn't want fuel but cigarettes.

"I became suspicious when I saw a petrol attendant sitting to one side, sort of frozen."

Chase

The next moment, five men walked out of the fuel station shop, jumped into a VW Jetta and sped off. Zeeman chased after the robbers in his private car.

Traffic police also began chasing after the robbers, who sped off in the direction of Badplaas. About 5km outside of Carolina, the vehicle stopped.

"The traffic police and I stopped behind them," said Inspector Zeeman. "The robbers jumped out, overpowered the traffic officers and then started firing at me with an AK-47 and handguns."

He pulled out his R5 attack rifle and shot back. One robber jumped in behind the wheel of the traffic vehicle. Zeeman shot him and the man was later taken to hospital, where he died.

'The gods were kind to us'

Meanwhile, another robber shot his wife through the open car window. Inspector Zeeman was hit by a piece of shrapnel in his right big toe. He shot back at the four remaining robbers, who ran off.

Police found the body of one of the men in a field about 70m from the scene on Monday morning. A pistol, a bag of money and cellphone cards were found near the body.

The other three men are still missing. Police suspect one of them could be seriously injured as there was a lot of blood in the Jetta, said Captain Manie van Zyl of the unit against organised crime.

"The gods were kind to us. Demi is unhurt after the shooting. And Erika lives," said a still-shocked Inspector Zeeman on Monday.

Erika is in a stable condition but has apparently lost the feeling in her right leg.

- Beeld