Five officers killed in S. Africa police station attack

CAPE TOWN, Feb. 22– A group of unknown gunmen attacked a police
station and killed five officers and an off-duty solider in Ngcobo, Eastern
Cape Province, early Wednesday, police said.

The armed suspects entered the police station and randomly opened fire on
the members on duty, killing three officers instantly, the South African
Police Service (SAPS) said. The suspects made off with a police van taking
two other members, whose bodies were later found along the roadside with
gunshot wounds, the SAPS said. An off-duty soldier was also shot dead as
the suspects were fleeing. The attack drew immediate condemnation from
National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Khehla John Sitole who called
the killing “a heartless attack on the state.” “I am appalled and deeply
saddened by the cold and callous attack on our colleagues this morning,”
said Sitole.

Sitole said he has activated a task team comprising experienced detectives
of the SAPS and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as
the Hawks, to investigate this attack. The motive for this attack is not
clear yet, Sitole said. Police have established that the suspects have
robbed an ATM a short distance away from the police station and stolen 10
firearms as well as a police van. This was believed to be the worst
attack on the South African police in years, raising concern over growing
risk to police officers amid rampant crimes. Official statistics show that
in the 2014/2015 financial year, 35 on-duty and 51 off-duty police officers
were killed. – XINHUA