North West

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Watch: Station commander and police attacked at Plettenberg Bay murder scene [video]

Police on Monday condemned an attack on a station commander and his officers while attending to a murder scene in Plettenberg Bay at the weekend.

North West

Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Police spokesman Malcom Potjie said officers responded to a murder scene in Taaibos Avenue, New Horizon on Saturday after the killing of 23-year-old Marcel Clinton Williams. 

Potjie said Williams was allegedly stabbed by his girlfriend’s father after the couple had an argument. Potjie explained:

“The girlfriend allegedly reported the altercation with her boyfriend to her dad; where after the dad and other family members went to confront the deceased, ending up with the deceased being stabbed in his neck.” 

Murder suspect taken into custody

Williams collapsed in the street where he was later declared dead by paramedics. Potjie said officers later arrested a 53-year-old suspect who had to flee from an angry mob.

“Whilst the suspect was contained, disgruntled members of the community started to attack the police members whilst threatening to take the law into their own hands. They pelted police members with stones; in the process the station commander sustained a cut wound to his jaw for which he later received medical treatment.” 

Potjie said police vehicles at the scene were also damaged.

Police condemned the attack

Eden Cluster Commander, Major General Oswald Reddy condemned the attack on police and the manner in which some community members of New Horizon took the law into their own hands.

“Attacking those that have put their lives at stake to protect the very community by arresting a murder suspect, cannot be tolerated,” Reddy said.

The video, shared by Twitter account @bosbeer2006, shows members of the community pelting the police vehicle with rocks before chasing after an officer.

Netizens took to the comment section in disgust; Marthinus Oliphant said, “This should never happen, I also don’t even want to think about what would have happened if police protected themselves. He added:

“We would be having a different conversation.”

Moreover, a user known only as Kar_abz wanted to know why police ran away. He said they should instead use “the power given to them when they are attacked.” He added:

“Fight the flip back, in a harsh way even. Discuss the rest later.”

Also read – CPT crime: Murders increase by 46% in two weeks of SANDF deployment

Watch: Police attacked by community members in Plettenberg Bay

By African News Agency (ANA), editing by Chantall Presence. Additional reporting by Cheryl Kahla.