Murder-suicide incident at office park in Westville claims two lives
A woman was shot dead by a man, who then turned the gun on himself, in an incident outside an office park in Westville on Tuesday.
Image: File
Westville police have opened a case of murder and an inquest docket following a fatal shooting that claimed the lives of a man and a woman outside an office park on Tuesday afternoon.
According to police, the incident unfolded when a man arrived at the office park intending to see a woman, although he was unsure whether she was on duty at the time. Security denied him entry and advised him to wait outside the premises.
“A few moments later, the woman was reportedly dropped off by a vehicle, and the two had an argument outside the guard room. This led to the man drawing a firearm and shooting the woman,” said police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda.
The man was declared dead at the scene, while the woman, who sustained critical injuries, was rushed to hospital where she later succumbed to her wounds.
Emergency responders described a chaotic and distressing scene when they arrived.
“Around 12.30pm on Tuesday afternoon, ALS paramedics received numerous calls of a shooting incident which had occurred at a business complex opposite the Pavilion shopping centre in the Westville area,” said ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson.
“Paramedics arrived on scene to find ambulance services and security officials already in attendance. It is alleged that it was possibly a domestic dispute and a male shot a female who had sustained critical injuries before allegedly turning the gun on himself,” Jamieson said.
He confirmed that the man suffered fatal injuries and was declared dead on scene. “The female who was in a critical condition passed away in hospital,” Jamieson also confirmed.
At this stage, the motive for the shooting remains unclear. Police have indicated that while the circumstances are still under investigation, “domestic-related differences cannot be ruled out” according to Colonel Netshiunda.
The incident comes after an Umlazi man was arrested for assault in connection with a case raised by Durban hairstylist and salon owner Snenhlanhla Nenezane Mthembu.
She shared a series of posts on social media describing alleged abuse by her boyfriend and expressing frustration about what she claimed was a lack of response to cases opened with police in Lamontville and Umlazi. This sparked a public outcry which led to police confirming that an arrest had been made.