*This story has been updated.
A Table View cop has died after he was shot in the head at close range while attending a business robbery on Friday morning.
Tears of disbelief flowed as the 48-year-old sergeant was found slumped behind the wheel of his patrol van during the heist at a spice winkel in Killarney Gardens.
According to a source the officer, along with his partner, responded to the call for help shortly after 6am.
The source says: “Two officers were shot responding to the business robbery in progress in Winning Way.
“The first officer jumped out to go into the shop and came under fire by the skelms who shot him in the leg and stole his firearm.
“They then walked up to the sergeant, who was sitting in his vehicle, and shot him, with his partner’s firearm, at close range in the head and he died."
The source says two of the four skelms were arrested during a shootout with police and the scene remains active.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa says the Hawks are investigating a case of murder, attempted murder and armed robbery case.
“Following an armed robbery at a business in Killarney Gardens early on Friday morning by four suspects, police and a local security company responded to a call for assistance,” she says.
“Upon arrival at the business premises, the robbers who had held staff at gunpoint inside the building started shooting at the police as they fled. Police responded.
“As a consequence a shootout started leading to two police officials wounded and two robbers also injured. Sadly, a 48 year old police sergeant from Table View who sustained gunshot wound to his head died on arrival at a medical facility in the area. Another policeman was shot in the leg.”
“One robber, a 34-year-old man was wounded and arrested on the scene. ”Meanwhile a second suspect aged 36, who also sustained a gunshot wound was apprehended in the vicinity. Two other suspects are still at large.“
Potelwa says police have launched a manhunt for the suspects who are still at large with additional police joining the extensive search.
Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lt General Patekile is currently visiting the scene.