South Africa’s police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), said it would investigate a shoot-out between police and suspected armed robbers which left four people, including two McDonald’s staff, dead in Cape Town’s northern suburbs on Monday morning.
Ipid spokesman Robbie Raburabu said the shoot-out occured shortly after five armed men robbed a filling station in Kuilsriver.
“According to the information we have been given, the police gave chase and in the process there was another car which was coming from the same direction as the robbers which had the McDonald’s workers, and the police thought these people were trying to block their way,” said Raburabu.
“It is alleged that the robbers first fired at police and they returned fire and the McDonald’s workers were caught in the crossfire.”
Two of the suspected robbers were shot dead, while the other three fled on foot.
Two staff of the McDonald’s Kuilsriver branch were killed. The fastfood chain said in a media statement earlier another five others sustained serious injuries.
“We are shocked, horrified and deeply saddened at the death of two of our valued employees and the injuries sustained by five others,” said Greg Solomon, chief executive officer for McDonald’s South Africa.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends of our Kuilsriver team.”
Raburabu said IPID were investigating the circumstances around the shooting.
– African News Agency (ANA)
