Pensioner shot by dropped firearm

[Alan]

The 67-year-old woman thought to have died from a heart attack in the central post office on Monday after a security guard’s firearm accidentally went off actually died of a gunshot wound.

This was disclosed yesterday after police were given the findings of a postmortem examination of the victim, pensioner Nora Mazibuko of Bulwer. A case of culpable homicide has been opened.

SAPS spokesman Senior Superintendent Henry Budhram said that when police and paramedics arrived on the scene, there were no signs of blood around or on the body, and no visible wounds.

“It seems that the paramedics concluded that the woman had died of a heart attack, but the body was sent for an autopsy as part of police routine.”

Apparently, the firearm fell out of a pocket in the security guard’s bullet-proof jacket, and was not in the regulation holster as required by law.

When it landed on the floor, the gun discharged once and the victim collapsed.

“So the charge of negligent discharge of a firearm still stands,” said Budhram.
“After further investigations and ballistics tests we will forward the case of culpable homicide to the public prosecutor.”

The guard works for a Durban-based security company that is contracted by the post office.
A spokesman for the post office said an investigation is being conducted and the incident is regretted.

Whether the post office will help the victim’s family with funeral and other expenses will be discussed with the security company, he added.

http://www.witness.co.za/?showcontent&global[_id]=4779



Shot but no blood or visible wounds. This is major **** up all around. Awful

 

[DJ...]

Shame. What a way to go! oor security guard too - he probably had minimal training and didnt understand the dangers of his actions.

 

[diesel]

Bullet up the bunghole maybe?, dam poor woman.

 

[Ady]

Talk about wrong place at the wrong time. If its your time its your time. Poor women.

 

[zanga]

So can the security guard skip the jail term because he was not given training ?

 

[DJ...]

So can the security guard skip the jail term because he was not given training ?

Probably. Or it will be reduced. I would expect that if I wasnt given proper training and I accidently committed a crime as a direct result of this lack of training, that I would be held less liable in the eyes of the law than those who should have provided the training. This is all speculation though, for all we know he had been doing this for decades and got slack!