Police have confirmed the suspects involved in a high-speed chase in Ottery last year are still in custody.
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The suspects arrested in the viral dashcam video shared widely across social media this week depicting an alleged drive-by shooting between rival gangs and a subsequent shootout with police are expected to appear in court next month.
The nearly five-minute clip shows an incident that occurred on Monday, 6 October 2025, at around 4.35pm, near the corner of 4th Avenue and Schaapkraal Road.
The footage begins inside a vehicle, where one of the suspects is seated in the front passenger seat holding a firearm while speaking on a cellphone. He appears to be explaining what had just transpired and gives directions to the driver. A passenger in the back seat is heard alerting the others that the camera is recording.
Minutes later, the driver and front passenger realise police vehicles are behind them. The front passenger reacts by throwing a firearm out of the window and instructs the others to discard their weapons, warning that police are about to open fire. Within seconds, doors are seen flying open and gunshots erupt, with sirens wailing in the background.
Three occupants allegedly fled the vehicle on foot when it reached Govan Mbeki Drive but were later arrested. When police returned to the car, they discovered the body of another man in the back seat.
On Wednesday afternoon, a second part of the dashcam footage was leaked online, revealing what allegedly transpired minutes before the police chase and shootout.
In the newly circulated clip, the suspects can be heard speaking about following another vehicle in the Schaapkraal area, saying the driver of that vehicle was going to stop. When a white bakkie comes to a halt, gunshots are immediately heard. The dashcam records voices inside the vehicle mentioning that they had just shot someone.
The footage then continues with the cellphone conversation seen at the start of the first viral video, linking the two clips as part of the same sequence of events.
At the time of the incident, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) confirmed that a 23-year-old man had died.
Ipid spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said: “It is alleged that on Monday 6 October at around 4pm, a shootout between rival gangs occurred in Ottery where a person was fatally wounded and two others injured.
“Suspects allegedly fled from the scene in a white Toyota Rumion and the Flying Squad gave chase.
“Suspects tried to flee the scene on foot and the police gave chase. Suspects allegedly fired at the police and police returned fire, shooting one of the assailants in the leg.
“The crime scene was processed and during intensive investigation on the scene it was discovered through video footage that the deceased struggled to get out of the vehicle to flee, and he subsequently turned the gun on himself and shot himself in the head.”
Ipid conducted preliminary investigations and the case was subsequently handed over to the Anti-Gang Unit for further investigation.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed the case was handed over to the AGU and said the suspects are due to appear in court on 8 April 2026. They are still in custody since their arrest.