A young police officer was gunned down in Parkwood on Thursday, allegedly by a known gangster.
Constable Ashwin Pedro, 26, was shot dead in Blackbird Road at 6:45pm, while he and his partner were chasing after the armed skollie, who opened fire on them then fled the scene.
His partner was unharmed.
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut says the suspect was arrested a few hours later at a hideout in Ravensmead.
Traut says: “The deceased member and his partner reacted on information of an armed suspect in Blackbird Avenue in (Parkwood) and during an altercation with the suspect, the member sustained a fatal gunshot wound to his chest, while his partner escaped the incident unharmed.
“The suspect fled the crime scene. DPCI investigators will lead the investigation into the circumstances of the matter. The Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape police, Lt Gen Thembisile Patekile bolstered operational policing in the area by deploying additional resources to hunt down the suspect so that justice can be served.”
Traut adds: “The effective and rapid deployment of resources to hunt down the suspect who shot and killed the constable in cold blood, led Anti-Gang Unit members to Ravensmead where a 42-year-old man was arrested at his hideout late (Thursday) night.
“The 9mm pistol he stole during the altercation with the SAPS members was found in his possession and confiscated.
“The circumstances surrounding the incident are still being probed by the Hawks investigators while the suspect’s court appearance is being scheduled for Monday in Wynberg.”