An Umlazi man who police said allegedly pointed a toy gun at a policeman was shot five times and is in critical condition in hospital.
|||KwaZulu-Natal - An Umlazi man who police said allegedly pointed a toy gun at a policeman was shot five times and is in critical condition in hospital.
The 23-year-old man, Philani Mhlongo, is under police guard at Prince Mshiyeni Hospital.
His father, Cyprian Mhlongo, is demanding answers after his son was shot in the chest, back and legs by a policeman who mistook the toy gun for a real one.
Mhlongo, 52, is also angry that his son had been shackled to a hospital bed under police guard.
Philani, who was in intensive care at King Edward VIII Hospital before he was moved to the uMlazi hospital, was shot at a shopping centre last week.
Police spokesman, Captain Thulani Zwane, confirmed that the gun was a toy. He said the man had run away when a constable saw him at the centre and the policeman gave chase.
“The suspect took out a firearm, cocked it and pointed it towards the complainant (policeman). The complainant (took) cover and at that time he was firing towards the suspect and the suspect was allegedly shot,” Zwane said.
“The suspect was then placed under arrest by the complainant, who is a constable at SAPS uMlazi.”
Zwane said the suspect was taken to hospital. He confirmed a case had been opened against the wounded man.
“He was charged with pointing of a firearm. He is still under police guard. He will be taken to court when he is discharged from hospital.”
Mhlongo said the police had been tipped off that his son was carrying an unlicensed firearm.
He said he did not know where his son had got the gun from.
“He is shackled and in pain. He can’t even move his feet,” said Mhlongo.
No one is allowed to see him in hospital except his parents. His brother, Steven, said he was angry that he and other relatives were denied access to him.
“It hurts us that we are not allowed to visit him.
“A lot of people back home in Harding wish to see him, but they can’t,” said Steven.
Mhlongo said Philani was shot once in the back, with the bullet exiting through his chest.
He was also shot twice in the chest, and once in his right leg. The fifth bullet went through his buttock and narrowly missed his spinal cord.
“He can’t even speak. He only responds when you touch him, and his eyes are always closed,” said Mhlongo.
He said Philani and his friends were in a store at the shopping centre at uMlazi’s W-Section when they were approached by police who asked for his gun.
“We haven’t got enough details on what had happened. But the police officer continued shooting him after seeing the (toy) gun on the floor,” he said. “What more did he want?”
He said the policeman had left by the time he got to the scene.
Mhlongo said he then went to uMlazi police station where he discovered that no case had been opened against the officer.
He has asked the Independent Police Investigative Directorate to take up the case. - Daily News
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