Drama at PE school highlights trauma caused by ongoing gang violence

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

Learners and teachers at Helenvale Primary School in Port Elizabeth's Northern Areas were left traumatised on Tuesday morning when a man being pursued by police ran into a packed classroom.

School principal, Malcolm Roberts, told Algoa FM News that there was a stand-off before police stormed the classroom to apprehend the man

He says thankfully no shots were fired during the incident.

Roberts says the drama began shortly after the first morning break.

"This was just after break when kids went back to the classrooms. We had someone running onto school premises followed by police and he then ran into one of the classes causing a stirr. Police surrounded the school trying the get him out" he said

Roberts told Algoa FM News that the incident was the last straw for them as the ongoing gang violence in the Helenvale area is already taking its toll on learners and teachers.

He says learners and teachers were so traumatised by the events that he's decided to close the school until the Department of Basic Education is able to guarantee the safety of the learners and teachers.

Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Alwin Labans, says plain clothes police investigating the ongoing gang violence in the Helenvale area noticed a person walking in the road with a packet under his arm.

He says when they tried to stop him, the man, who thought that he was being accosted by gangsters, fled onto the school premises.

Labans says there was no hostage drama and the man was later released after it was found that he was not a criminal suspect.