Two Metro Police officers sustains facial injuries, as bystanders thwart arrest of taxi driver

Two Metro Police officers were injured, with one taken to hospital for treatment, after they sustained facial injuries from being hit in the face with a rock.

Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith says that Officers pulled over a white Toyota Quantum in Bishop Lavis on Friday after the driver disobeyed a red robot, but he sped off instead, causing two accidents along the way, and eventually abandoned the vehicle at the Nyanga taxi rank, where he fled further on foot.

‘’A crowd at the taxi rank hurled stones at the officers, and some also fired live rounds at them. Members of the Metro Police Tactical Response Unit discharged rubber rounds to disperse the crowd.’’

‘’By the time the situation calmed down, the taxi driver had managed to evade capture, but four other suspects were arrested on multiple charges including public violence, malicious damage to Council property, resisting arrest and hindering/interfering with an officer in the execution of their duties; four Metro Police patrol vehicles were damaged; two officers sustained facial injuries from being hit in the face with rocks – one was taken to hospital for treatment,’’ he added.

The mayco member condemned the incident

‘’It’s an unfortunate reality that more and more people feel they can simply insert themselves into situations that have nothing to do with them, and in the process they help suspects get away to potentially commit more offences down the line, but they also put our staff’s lives at risk as well as their own. This particular situation could have had fatal consequences. Even more puzzling is how, in the face of ongoing complaints about public safety and incidents of crime, anyone can target or obstruct officers in the execution of their duties. We condemn these brazen acts of lawlessness, and I sincerely hope that the courts will send out a strong message that this type of behaviour cannot and should not be tolerated.’’

 

Done By: Mitchum George