Four suspects were arrested, and one was wounded after a police chase during which shots were fired in Hartbeespoort on Tuesday afternoon.

According to police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone, the Brits police’s Tactical Response Team (TRT) received information about a suspicious silver Mercedes with four males in Hartbeespoort. Just after 12:00, TRT members spotted the vehicle near the R511 Beethoven Road crossing, and tried to stop it. “The driver made a U-turn and one of the occupants pointed a firearm towards the police, thus prompting one of the members to fire a shot and one of the males, aged 34, was wounded. All four males, who are Zimbabwean foreign nationals were arrested,” he said.

Traffic on the R511 near the Beethoven Road crossing was disrupted for hours. “The wounded suspect was taken by ambulance to Brits Hospital where he is under police guard. The vehicle was searched, and a panga was found in the boot. Preliminary investigation revealed that the firearm used by the suspect was a toy. Investigation into the matter is underway.”

The four suspects, aged between 24 and 34, appeared in the Brits Magistrates’ Court on charges of pointing a firearm, possession of an unlicenced firearm and illegal possession of ammunition.