- A 44-year-old police officer is in critical condition after he allegedly shot himself at a funeral.
- The officer is part of the VIP Protection Unit and is one of Community Safety MEC Reagen Allans' protectors.
- The Elsies River CPF says the community is in "absolute shock" at the tragic incident.
Police are investigating an attempted suicide after a member of the VIP Protection Unit allegedly shot himself during the funeral service of a slain LEAP officer on Saturday.
The incident took place outside of the Uniting Reformed Church in Elsies River where 23-year-old LEAP Law Enforcement Officer, Alessandro Alveo Heynes was being laid to rest.
LEAP is an initiative of the Western Cape Government and is run in partnership with the City of Cape Town. These officers are deployed where they can make the biggest difference in turning around negative crime statistics.
Heynes was off duty when he was shot during a robbery. The assailants allegedly accosted him and took his cellophane as he was transporting a friend from a matric ball event, according to police.
Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC, Reagan Allen, confirmed that the officer – who allegedly turned a gun on himself - was his protector. The 44-year-old officer was on duty when the incident occurred.
"I am deeply shocked and hurt by what [had] transpired. I would like to wish the officer a speedy recovery. I hope we will be able to get to the bottom of why this occurred, soonest, " said Allen.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the officer was rushed to the hospital for immediate medical attention. “[He is] in a critical condition and circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation," he said.
The Western Cape Department of Health said its Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded to the call just after 09:00 - a man had sustained a gunshot wound. EMS spokesperson Byron La Hoe said the officer was transported to N1 City for medical treatment.
Elsies River Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson, Hamish Arries, said hundreds of people attended Heynes' funeral. He said the community were in “absolute shock" at what had transpired.
"It was a very traumatic experience. There were hundreds of people who lined up the streets to say their farewell to Heynes. Never in a million years did we think the community would be faced with a police officer shooting himself at the church. It's very sad indeed, and, we as the CPF wish the officer well," said Arries.