A 16-year-old meisie was shot and killed, and a little boy struck in the head after police clashed with residents in Elsies River.
Police watchdog the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is now probing the incident on Sunday night in which cops opened fire on the community of De Range.
One of the injured victims is believed to be a 9-year-old boy who is in ICU after he was shot in the head.
Police say the shooting occurred after 486 mandrax tablets and 50 9mm rounds of ammunition were discovered by Elsies River cops during a raid at a flat in Fairview Court on Sunday.
However, chaos erupted when officers arrested a suspect and as they tried to load him into the van, members of the community tried to stop the cops.
Officers then fired several shots, allegedly using live rounds, at the crowd.
Althea Adams, 16, who was standing near the commotion, was hit, with the bullet ripping through her chest. The teen collapsed in her aunt’s house and later succumbed to her injuries at a nearby medical facility.
Her mother Sandra, 52, says police had no right to shoot live rounds because their lives were not in danger.
Sandra says: “It wasn’t a gang fight or anything, they had no reason to shoot because there was no violence against them. There were 14 vehicles.
“Die een wie dit gedoen het moet na vore kom. He must pay for what he’s done and justice must prevail.
“Dit is nie reg dat ‘n innocent kind se lewe so maklik weggeneem word nie.”
IPID spokesperson, Phaladi Shuping, confirms that the matter is being investigated, but claims that rubber bullets were used by the cops.
Shuping says: “It is alleged that the police searched a premises and found drugs and ammunition. They arrested a suspect but a group of community members allegedly attacked the police, who threw a stun grenade and fired rubber bullets in an attempt to disperse the crowd.
“Four people were injured and taken to hospital. One person, aged 16, unfortunately passed away. The incident was reported to Ipid and investigators have started with the investigations.”
When the Daily Voice arrived in Elsies Rive ron Monday, residents expressed their anger towards police, with some even blocking entrances with burning tyres.
Meanwhile, Sandra says the police can at least give her baby a dignified funeral as she wasn’t in any burial policy.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za