6 extortionists and murderers shot and killed in a shootout with police in South Beach

On Monday, 2 September 2024, six suspects, wanted for multiple murders and extortion cases, were fatally wounded in a shootout with police in the South Beach, Point area of Durban, shortly before midnight.

The police were investigating the suspects in connection with an incident on Sunday night, where they had shot five people, killing four execution-style on Siyaphambili Road in Tshelimnyama, Mariannhill. The victims, who were drinking alcohol by the roadside, were ordered to lie down before being shot in the back of their heads.

Following leads that the suspects were hiding in Newlands East, police tracked them to a rented holiday apartment on South Beach Avenue. When the police announced their presence, the suspects opened fire, leading to a shootout in which all six suspects were fatally wounded. Fortunately, no police officers were injured.

In addition to the Sunday night murders, the suspects were linked to a triple murder on Friday afternoon in Mpumalanga township, Hammersdale, where three men were killed near a tuckshop. They were also connected to a robbery that occurred on the same Friday evening at a shop on the ground floor of the apartment where they were found. Authorities also suspect their involvement in the illicit drug trade.

Before conducting a thorough search of the apartment, police recovered three firearms from the suspects. These firearms will undergo ballistic testing to determine if they are linked to other crime scenes. Additionally, police are investigating the person who booked the apartment for the suspects.

Must read: One extortionist killed in shootout with police, two others injured