Johannesburg was rocked by a brazen daylight attack on Friday morning when two seasoned police detectives were shot dead in Florida while transporting a suspect from court.
Police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo confirmed the tragedy, saying the incident unfolded around 10:30 a.m. The officers, part of the elite Trio Task Team, had earlier fetched the suspect for a scheduled appearance at the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court in connection with a 2023 business robbery.
But as they drove back to police custody after proceedings, their vehicle was intercepted. In a hail of gunfire, both detectives were killed instantly. The attackers stripped the slain officers of their firearms, and in a chilling twist, the suspect was later seen behind the wheel of the unmarked police vehicle.
The vehicle was found abandoned a few kilometres away — the suspect and the killers gone without a trace.
Police have launched a full-scale manhunt, warning the public that the fugitive is considered armed and extremely dangerous.
Masondo summed up the gravity of the situation: “We will not rest until we find them.”
