T’kei boy ‘shot in error’, EL kid ‘used police gun’

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From the Daily Dispatch...

T’kei boy ‘shot in error’, EL kid ‘used police gun’
TWO tragic shootings claimed the lives of two Eastern Cape teens in separate incidents this week.


A 14-year-old Butterworth boy allegedly shot and killed his friend, 15, while aiming at robbers who had entered his home.

The teen allegedly shot his best friend while chasing the suspects with his father’s firearm at VuliValley township on Wednesday.

And in a second tragedy, police reported yesterday that a 17-yearold Cambridge teenager was found shot dead on Saturday morning.

He allegedly shot himself with a gun issued to one of his parents, both of whom are police officers in the Cambridge police barracks.

Police could not confirm last night who the firearm belonged to.

On Wednesday afternoon, just after 3pm, the Butterworth teenager, who cannot be named because of his age, had just returned home from school when three armed suspects accosted him and took a DVD machine from his home.

Butterworth police spokesperson Captain Jackson Manatha said the suspects were armed with knives.

“They pointed a knife at him before taking the DVD player out of the house and as they were leaving, the teenager chased them with his father’s firearm but he accidentally shot dead his best friend,” said Manatha.

The father of the 14-year-old, a police officer in Butterworth, said his son was referred for counselling. “It’s just such a sad incident because these two boys were very close friends.

“After he was accosted by these thugs, as they were leaving he realised that I’ve got a firearm at home and he took a spare key, opened a safe, took a gun and chased after them.

“He accidentally shot his friend who was coming to him so that they could go play football,” said the father, who also cannot be named to protect the identity of the teenager.
The firearm belongs to the father and was not a police-issue weapon.

A murder case has since been opened and Manatha said detectives would wait for the Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) for a decision on whether the teenager should be prosecuted.

The parents of the 15-year-old boy who died in the shooting declined to comment yesterday and referred the Daily Dispatch to the suspect’s parents.

In the East London incident, the dead teenager was found by his parents, with a firearm next to him.

His parents are police officers, with his father attached to the Cambridge station as a captain and his mother stationed in Mdantsane.

Police were not prepared to disclose the parents’ names.

Asked for comment yesterday Cambridge police spokesperson Captain Mluleki Mbi said he wasn’t aware of the case as it had not been reported to him.

He later confirmed the incident, saying the shooting had taken place between 2am and 3am on Saturday.

“A service pistol was found next to the teenager’s body. We don’t suspect any foul play but an inquest docket has been opened,” said Mbi.

Mbi said at this stage police did not know what might have led to the shooting.

“The parents of the teenager are receiving counselling.”

Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Marinda Mills said an investigation into whether the parents were negligent or not with the service pistol would “definitely” be launched.

“They (couple) must tell us how the deceased got hold of the gun because a police officer is not supposed to be in possession of a gun if he or she does not have a safe at home,” she said. — bonganif@dispatch/evansm@dispatch.co.za