Dad holds family hostage in W Cape
2013-03-03 16:56
Johannesburg - A man armed with grass shears and a sword injured his wife and two children on Sunday, while holding them hostage at their house in Eastridge, Mitchells Plain, Western Cape police said.
The man cut the woman on the chest with the grass shears, injuring their 5-year-old daughter in the process, said Colonel Tembinkosi Kinana.
"The girl sustained an open wound on her upper body, and her 18-year-old brother sustained an open wound on his left hand after he was assaulted with a sword by his father," said Kinana.
He said the police received a report of domestic violence at the house at 02:00 and arrived to find the man threatening to kill his wife and their children, aged 18, nine and five.
The police managed to remove the wife and the 5-year-old girl. The 18-year-old youth escaped on his own moments later, but the man refused to release the 9-year-old boy.
"The police negotiators made several attempts to defuse the situation and at about 09:30, the suspect subsequently released his son unharmed," said Kinana.
He said the 43-year-old man was arrested and would appear soon in the Mitchells Plain Magistrate's Court on a charge of attempted murder.
The woman and her two injured children were taken to hospital.
- SAPA
