Police watchdog Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is probing the death of a Wynberg father after he was allegedly shot by cops.
Ramone Freeman, 31, who got married three weeks ago, was shot once in the chest in the early hours of Sunday morning in Mile End Road in Diep River.
According to IPID, the shooting comes after police officers responded to a housebreaking in progress, and they allegedly spotted the father of three jumping over a wall.
It is alleged that Ramone attacked the cops with a knife, and they responded by shooting him in the chest.
IPID spokesperson Phaladi Shuping confirmed that the matter was being investigated.
Shuping reports: “It is alleged that SAPS responded to a housebreaking in progress. Police officers allegedly found a person jumping over the wall with a knife in his hand.
“The suspect allegedly attacked the officers with a knife, and the officer fired a shot towards the suspect. The suspect was hit in the right-sided chest area.”
“Paramedics were called out to the scene as he was still alive. He unfortunately died on the way to the hospital. The matter was reported to IPID for investigations.”
Ramone was employed as a pool technician and has two sons - aged 10 and a girl of 12.
Ramone's wife of three weeks, Akifah Williams, says her husband was actually trying to get into his mother’s house and didn't attack the cops.
She says he had come from a local pub at about 2am and decided to pop in by his mom, who lives in a complex, while his lift was waiting for him.
The young widow explains: "He would not attack the police, he had the wrong key and he jumped over [the wall]. But his mother was not at home.
"Why wasn't he apprehended by police and security, why didn't they shoot him in the legs or something, why did it have to be a deadly shot.“
It is also alleged that an assault rifle was used in the incident, however, police remained tight-lipped and wouldn't confirm this.
Akifah adds: "At the scene, no communication was made. They didn't even tell me my husband passed on, the paramedic eventually felt so bad and came to me to tell me that they were supposed to tell me he has passed.“
She says Ramone was killed for a crime he didn't commit.
She insists: "Yes, my husband was a changed man, he tried so hard to be the best dad, son and husband he could be.
“If he was wrong, he would have surrendered. He wouldn't have attacked them.“