Joburg massacre: 3 released
2006-06-26 08:24
Johannesburg - Three of the 14 suspects arrested after a massive shoot-out with police in Jeppestown on Sunday have been released and a weapons cache discovered, police said on Monday.
Four police officers and eight suspects were killed in the shoot-out. Police had tracked the group to the house hours after an armed robbery at a Honeydew Pick 'n Pay store.
Captain Dennis Adriao said the three, two men and a woman, were held for questioning for a few hours then released when police were able to confirm that they weren't connected to the shoot-out group.
"They were staying next door."
Eleven men remain in custody and are expected to appear in court on Tuesday, said Adriao.
He said police were still at the house and early on Monday found a weapons cache.
"We found a large amount of weaponry, high calibre weaponry including AK-47s."
Adriao said the police had been deliberately ambushed by the gang, who'd hidden in different parts of the house.
"They waited for the police to come into the house before opening fire ... It was a real massacre."
He said a policewoman injured in the clash, Inspector Leonie van Heerden, was part of the same dog unit as her husband, Frikkie, who was killed by the gang.
Adriao said she'd been outside helping to secure the area.
"The others, including her husband, went inside looking for suspects."
The names of the other three police officers who died will be released once their next-of-kin have been informed.
The dead suspects have not yet been identified.
- SAPA