'Bloody Sunday' cops died in pairs
2006-06-28 22:51
Johannesburg - The bodies of four policemen shot dead after they stormed a gang hideout were found in pairs in different rooms.
Inspectors Victor Mathye, Frikkie van Heerden, sergeant Gert Schoeman and constable Francois Seaward had multiple wounds, despite wearing bullet-proof vests.
One of them had a supporting arm around his colleague.
The four police entered the semi-detached house in Mordaunt Street, Jeppestown, on Sunday morning after others had surrounded it in an effort to catch a gang of robbers who had been targeting shopping centres.
An experienced officer, who didn't want to be named, said on Tuesday the four had acted quite correctly when they entered the house.
They went in 'blind'
"Each house-penetration is different, and it is always extremely dangerous, especially when you don't know what the layout of the house is.
"You never know where the suspects might be hiding. The four did it according to the book," said one police officer.
According to him, the four probably didn't know how many robbers were hiding inside the house, nor how heavily armed they were.
He said: "Even with 100 reinforcements outside, it still is dangerous.
"Yet, the four guys were willing to enter, and that shows how brave they were. They made sure the gang didn't get away.
Surprise element
"If they hadn't done that, the gang could still be walking about freely, robbing places and hurting people."
Another officer said the surprise element was seldom on the police's side.
"If you are wearing a blue uniform, you are always a target.
"They (the four policemen killed) were not there to sit back and let others to do the job. They were not scared," he said.