‘We tried to disarm Franco’s shooter’
|Published
SHOT AND KILLED: Franco D’este, 20
The friend of a young man who was shot outside a Cape Town nightclub says they tried to disarm the shooter in an altercation caught on video.
The suspect, Ethan Fisher, 24, is appearing in the Cape Town Regional Court for the murder of Franco D’este, 20.
Fisher has been charged with two counts of murder and attempted murder following the incident at the corner of Loop and Shortmarket Street on September 7, 2019, where he admitted to shooting Franco but claims it was in self-defence.
Video footage of the incident was presented to the court while Ikraam Jefferies took the stand as a State witness.
Fisher was represented by attorney William Booth, who grilled Ikraam during cross-examination, saying he had given different versions, reports the Cape Argus.
Ikraam told the court that he, Franco and two other friends arrived at a club in Loop Street at around midnight, but Franco changed his mind and they left.
On their way back to the car, they unknowingly walked behind Fisher and another man.
Fisher turned around and asked them, “Are you following me?” as he took out a firearm and fired a shot.
Ikraam says he and Franco then tried to take the gun from Fisher: “I didn’t know it was a real gun.
“I wanted to take the gun off so nobody could get hurt.”
The footage shows Franco falling to the ground, while Ikraam, Fisher and another person gathered around him. Ikraam then tries to fight with Fisher but retreats.
Franco is then picked up off the street and they walk towards Loop Street.
Hours later, the youngster died from the gunshot wound at the Christiaan Barnard Hospital.
When Booth asked him why he didn’t walk away when he saw the firearm, Ikraam said he acted out of instinct.
Fisher later turned himself in to police and handed over his licensed firearm.
He was released on R2000 bail.