DURBAN - Two Durban private security companies were instrumental in the high-speed chase that ended in a shoot-out on Higginson Highway, Chatsworth, leaving four dead and one injured on Wednesday morning.
Private security company Urban Defence put together an incident report that documented the events.
Urban Defence said that at 11.15am on Wednesday, they were called out by a client and notified that there was a suspicious Mercedes-Benz following him in the Morningside area.
He provided Urban Defence with his location and the Urban tactical team went to his location and identified the vehicle that followed him.
“Suspects noticed the Urban Defence vehicles and the driver of the Mercedes-Benz sped off and tried to evade members. Suspects then opened fire on the Urban Defence members.
“A chase ensued through Morningside, Musgrave and Overport and suspects evaded members and drove on to the N2,” Urban Defence said. “Marshall Security Special Operations Team intercepted the vehicle on the N2 and apprehended the suspects.”
Urban Defence said it was later established that the Mercedes-Benz was identified as a hijacked vehicle from the Pinetown area, and that the suspects were wanted for serious and violent crimes and multiple armed robbery cases.
“One member from Urban Defence sustained bullet grazes in the exchange of gunfire. Thankfully the member was not fatally wounded. Two Urban vehicles were damaged in the exchange as well,” Urban Defence said.
Marshall Security spokesperson Tyron Powell said four armed robbery suspects were killed in an intense shoot-out with their special operations team following the high-speed chase.
Powell said their members spotted the vehicle driving along the N2 southbound and immediately pursued. When the suspects noticed the team members, they opened fire and a high-speed chase proceeded on the N2 south.
“During the chase the suspects were relentless in making their escape and continued to shoot at our members,” Powell said.
“As the suspects approached the Higginson Highway off-ramp, they lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a truck. They immediately exited the vehicle and again opened fire on our Special Operation Team members. Our members returned fire, during which three suspects were shot dead and one was wounded.
“Two suspects fled the scene on foot, and one was later found deceased on the N2 northbound after the M1 off-ramp after succumbing to his injuries. The other suspect remains at large after fleeing into a dense bush. The SAPS K9 unit arrived to search for the remaining suspect but was unsuccessful,” Powell said.
He said three unlicensed firearms were found on the scene and in the suspects’ vehicle. A jamming device, used to block tracking devices, was also found in the vehicle.
Urban Defence added a thank-you note to the public and a special thanks to Marshall Security.
Daily News