A KwaZulu-Natal man, described as a well-armed and combat-ready "criminal", managed to evade police during a dramatic shootout in Amangwe on Thursday.

"He is described as the most dangerous criminal, always clad in a bulletproof vest, carries a rifle with a number of rounds of ammunition at all times," police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said.

The man was wanted for allegedly attempting to murder the same person twice. Police have not divulged further information about the attempted murder allegations and are still looking for the suspect.

He and three friends had been driving around in a suspected stolen Toyota bakkie on Thursday when police received information that he was in Rosedale.

"The members waited for the said vehicle. When the [man] and his friends noticed the police, they immediately alighted from the vehicle and fired shots at the police," said Mbele.

Police retaliated, injuring one suspect, who was arrested.

A second uninjured suspect was later arrested, she added.

However, the "dangerous criminal" and a fourth suspect escaped.

A further arrest

Following the arrest, police established that one of the two men they had arrested after the shootout allegedly owned an illegal firearm that was in his homestead.

"When police arrived at his home, they found a 24-year-old woman in possession of the said firearm. She was immediately arrested and charged [with] possession of an unlicensed firearm."

Police recovered cellphones, an AK47 rifle with 80 rounds of ammunition, and a pistol with several rounds of ammunition.

They also established that the Toyota bakkie had allegedly been hijacked in Orange Farm, Gauteng.

The suspects were charged with attempted murder, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and possession of firearms and ammunition.

The two men and the woman are expected to appear in the Estcourt Magistrate's Court soon.