A 41-year-old police sergeant shot and killed his wife and then turned the gun on himself in an apparent domestic dispute inside Hout Bay Police Station on Wednesday morning.
A source says the sergeant was alive for 15 minutes after he shot himself in the head.
“She came into the station and served him divorce papers,” explains the source.
“The couple argued loudly for a few minutes before they came out into the passage of the police station and he shot her four times - once in the head and three shots to her upper body.
“He then shot himself in the head after he shot her. He lay face down slumped over her body as he fell forward after he was shot. He was still alive as paramedics performed CPR on him, but his heart stopped and he died.”
The source says the sergeant was dressed in full police uniform and still had the gun in his hand when paramedics arrived.
The incident happened around 10.25am and the station was closed off immediately.
Hout Bay Community Policing Forum posted on their Facebook page: “Due to an incident at Hout Bay SAPS, the station is closed temporarily for anything other than emergencies. Any non-essential requirements please wait or go to SAPS Camps Bay.
“Please refrain from speculation and rumour, a formal statement will be released in due course and the community informed as soon as the station is cleared for opening hopefully later [yesterday].”
The Minister of Community Safety, Alan Winde, expressed shock at the incident.
“I call on SAPS to launch a full investigation into this incident so that possible reasons behind this tragedy can be ascertained,” Winde said.
Lieutenant-Colonel André Traut confirmed: “The circumstances surrounding the death of a police sergeant and his wife are under police investigation following an incident at the Hout Bay Police Station.
“It’s alleged the sergeant’s wife visited the police station where her husband shot and killed her during an apparent domestic dispute.
“He then shot and killed himself. The sergeant was on duty at the time. A murder case and a death inquest case docket have been registered.”