A bloody exchange of gunfire in a churchyard on Friday evening left seven suspected Engcobo cop-killers dead.
The Hawks cornered the gang at their hideout in a church in Nyanga village near Engcobo on Friday night. Seven suspected gang members were killed during the shootout‚ 10 were arrested and others escaped. One police officer was wounded and rushed to a hospital.
“The group‚ which uses a church as a hiding place‚ was cornered inside the church premises. A gun battle between suspects and police ensued, which left seven suspects dead and a task force team member injured in the leg‚” the Hawks said in a statement.
“An unknown number of suspects managed to escape and are currently being sought by the police. A number of firearms have been confiscated.”