A 29-year-old man was killed by a stray bullet, allegedly fired by a security guard who shot at two suspected thieves on the run in Fordsburg, Johannesburg on Thursday.
The guard has since been charged with murder and is expected to appear in court soon, police spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele said.
The two alleged thieves, aged 32 and 34, were also arrested and have been charged with motor vehicle theft and the possession of stolen property, he added.
They are scheduled to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on May 28.
Mbele said the guard spotted police officers chasing the two alleged thieves, when he decided to take out his firearm and shoot at them.
The bullet hit the 29-year-old man, who had been passing by in a red Kia Picanto, Mbele added.
The man was declared dead on the scene.
"Preliminary investigations revealed that the firearm belonged to a 48-year-old male in Kanyamazane (Mpumalanga). If the rightful owner fails to report the firearm missing within 48 hours, he will be charged," Mbele said.
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