Cops defend shooting of man with toy gun
|Published
Durban06082013. Cyprian amahlongo at king edward hospital. Durban06082013. Cyprian amahlongo at king edward hospital.
Durban - The SAPS has come to the defence of a policeman who shot a man carrying a toy gun, critically injuring him, saying on Sunday they had received a tip-off that he may have been planning to rob someone.
“Even if it means the suspect died, the police’s action is justifiable,” said police spokesman, Colonel Vincent Mdunge.
Philani Mhlongo, 23, of uMlazi, is in a critical condition in hospital after his family said he was shot once in the back, twice in the chest, and once in his right leg.
The fifth bullet went through his buttock and narrowly missed his spinal cord.
He was shot near the eMaweleni shopping centre, allegedly after he pointed a gun at policemen. It was later discovered that he had been carrying a plastic toy gun.
But Mdunge said the police had been justified in opening fire on him.
He said he did not think police would just shoot at a person with a toy gun.
“It was clear, in the eyes of the police, that his intention was to rob a certain individual,” he said.
Mdunge said the tip-off came from a member of the public who was concerned about robberies at pension pay points not far from where the suspect was seen.
“On the day of the shooting, a pensioner had seen the suspect carrying what resembled a real, genuine gun. She panicked, and phoned the police,” he said.
Mdunge said the police responded, and went to a tavern near the centre where they identified a man fitting the description of the suspect.
“Instead of giving an explanation and surrendering, he cocked the gun and pointed (it) at the police. And the law does not allow that.”
A friend of Mhlongo’s, who asked not to be named, said the policemen came from a nearby satellite station.
“We were sitting and saw a police officer pointing (a firearm) at our table.
“They came to us carrying guns. We dispersed, and I ran too because I had done nothing wrong.”
He said he did not know why Mhlongo had been carrying a toy gun.
“He never took it out, and we don’t know where he got it from.”
Another witness, who did not wish to be named, described the incident as an “unnecessary tragedy”.
“I was standing outside waiting for a taxi when I saw about five police officers and two or three of them were carrying guns. They looked like they came to a battle,” he said.
He said people dispersed, and the suspect and his friends ran too. When the suspect was about 20m away, they allegedly shot him, the witness said.
“He is a bulky guy, and they could have caught up (with) him. He couldn’t have run faster than those policemen.”
He said the toy gun fell to the ground, and one of the police officers picked it up.
“When it fell, you could hear it was not a real gun. As he was running, they continued shooting at him.”
The witness said he saw the policeman as he was taking up position to shoot the suspect.
“He shot at him three times.”
Mdunge said the police were finalising criminal charges against the suspect.
In response, Philani’s father, Cyprian Mhlongo, felt the police were using the toy gun as a “cover up”.
“I don’t understand why he (the policeman) was so harsh, even if he was doing his job. To say he cocked a toy gun and pointed it at policeman is a cover up, I can’t believe that.”
He said Philani was in a critical condition in hospital.
Moses Dlamini, Independent Police Investigative Directorate spokesman, confirmed they are investigating this matter. He said no arrests have been made.
Daily News