· A suspect pointed a gun at officers’ car, causing it to crash into a wall and injure three people, who were taken to Tygerberg Hospital.
· Bystanders stoned police vehicles, tried to set one alight and stole items. The City has offered a R20,000 reward for information.
Law enforcement officers in Cape Town were attacked by an angry crowd in Valhalla Park after a crash injured three people during a pursuit.
Spokesperson Wayne Dyason said officers were deployed to the area on Saturday afternoon when they heard gunshots just after 3pm.
While responding, they saw a man running with a firearm. The suspect pointed the weapon at their car. The driver swerved, lost control and smashed into a wall.
Three people were injured in the collision and taken to Tygerberg Hospital.
As officers rushed to help the injured, bystanders turned on them. The crowd pelted their vehicle with stones, tried to set it alight and looted items from inside.
Reinforcements arrived, but at least three more law enforcement vehicles were stoned.
The City of Cape Town is now offering a R20,000 reward for information that leads to those responsible being identified. Tips can be made anonymously through the City’s 24-hour hotline, with identities kept secret.
A Valhalla Park resident, who did not want to be named, called the events tragic. “Some of us understand accidents can happen to anyone. The officer did not hit the victims on purpose. Sadly, others saw it differently and attacked them,” the resident said.
Subcouncil 15 chairperson, Councillor Angus McKenzie, expressed his anger at the violence. “This type of behaviour is absolutely unacceptable. It undermines the very foundation of safety and security in our communities,” McKenzie said.
He urged Valhalla Park residents to reject violence and work with law enforcement to make their neighbourhood safer.
Pictured above: law enforcement vehicles stoned after the crash in Valhalla Park
Image: Supplied
