Employee shot in Durban North shopping centre robbery ‘in a stable condition’
Durban — Kensington Square management has reported that the employee who was shot by armed suspects during a robbery on Wednesday is in a stable condition.
One of the stores in Kensington Square was robbed in the morning.
The management of Kensington Square issued a statement on its Facebook page, revealing that earlier on Wednesday, one of the stores within Kensington Square was targeted by robbers who subsequently fled the scene in a getaway vehicle.
The management stated that as the suspects were leaving the premises, a brave staff member pursued them onto the street. Upon realising they were being chased, the suspects fired a shot, injuring the staff member's leg.
“We are relieved to report that he is in a stable condition, and we wish him a speedy recovery,” management said.
Management clarified that contrary to some reports circulating on social media, there was no hijacking involved in this incident. An official investigation is under way.
“We appreciate the swift response from our security, the police and medical responders,” management said.
Management added that Kensington Square remains open for business as usual.
Marshall Security managing director Tyron Powell said that at approximately 10.41am on Wednesday, the Marshall Security Emergency Dispatch Centre was alerted via a WhatsApp crime alert group, that gunshots could be heard outside a well-known shopping centre in the Durban North area.
Additionally, witnesses also reported seeing a white vehicle, with significant damage to its rear window, speeding away towards Kenneth Kaunda Road.
Powell said responding swiftly to the call, multiple armed response officers and members of our Special Operations Team rushed to the scene.
Powell said that on the scene, it was established that an unknown number of armed suspects had stormed into a well-known cellphone retail store, held the staff up at gunpoint and proceeded to steal multiple cellphones and laptops. A customer present during the incident was also robbed of his cellphone and personal items by the assailants as they prepared to flee the scene.
He said that in a brave but risky move, a staff member attempted to stop the robbers’ escape by hurling an object at their vehicle, managing to damage the rear glass. However, this act of defiance led to the staff member being shot in the left leg by the fleeing criminals.
“First aid was administered at the scene by members of our special operations team before the injured individual was transported to a hospital for further medical care by a private ambulance service,” Powell said.
“Despite an intensive search operation in the vicinity, the culprits managed to elude capture.”
The Durban North SAPS arrived promptly and will be initiating an investigation into the brazen daytime business robbery and attempted murder.
Powell added: “This incident underscores the perilous nature of crime in our community and the bravery of those who find themselves in the face of danger.
“Marshall Security commends the swift response of all units involved and extends our wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured staff member.”
ALS Paramedics Medical Services spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said that just after 10.30am, the service responded to numerous calls of a shooting incident at a popular shopping centre on Kensington Drive in Durban North.
Jamieson said paramedics arrived on the scene to find security personnel and SAPS in attendance and were shown to a store inside the mall.
“Paramedics found a male believed to be in his 40s had sustained a single gunshot wound to his leg. He was stabilised on the scene by ALS Paramedics before he was transported to a nearby hospital for the further care that he required,” Jamieson said.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said Durban North SAPS are investigating a case of business robbery.
Netshiunda said it is alleged that two armed men entered a store on Adelaide Tambo Drive in Durban North and took cellphones, laptops and jewellery and fled the scene.
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