Staff Reporter
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) will investigate the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting of the son of a former Mangaung Metro councillor by a police officer after allegedly breaking into his house in Heidedal with a friend.
Jaron de Bruin, 26, the son of John de Bruin, is said to have been shot by the police officer following the break-in in the early hours of Tuesday.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele said in a statement a case of murder, attempted murder and house robbery had been opened at Heidedal Police Station following a house robbery in which one suspect was fatally shot and another one injured.
“The shooting incident by a police officer will be investigated further by IPID,” said Makhele.
Without naming the pair, he said preliminary investigations revealed that the two suspects were shot after they broke into a police officer’s house.
A plasma TV that belongs to the police officer was found lying outside on the ground.
“. . . police responded to a shooting incident at a house in Paper Street, Heidedal, at about 2am. On arrival two . . . males were lying on the ground in the yard,” he explained.
“One suspect was found with a bullet wound to the chest and he was declared dead at the scene.
“The other suspect, 30, was shot in the legs and taken to Pelonomi Hospital for treatment. He was arrested after he was discharged from hospital.”
The vehicle that was used by the suspects was confiscated after it was found without registration number plates and a licence disc.
It was later established that it belonged to the girlfriend of one of the suspects.
The arrested suspect is expected to appear at the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court soon on a charge of house robbery.
However, the family of Jeron is demanding a thorough investigation into the matter as they feel he was murdered in cold blood.
In an exclusive interview with the Bloemfontein Courant, his father claims he was shot while sitting in the car.
“When I arrived at the scene in Paper Street, I found my son in the car behind the steering wheel. I asked him to open his eyes, but he did not respond. I asked the bystanders who had shot my son, and I was told it was a police official,” said De Bruin Sr.
He said he found his son’s friend on the scene, tied to the gate of the property that he had allegedly tried to break into.
“I asked him what had happened. He told me he broke into the property and my son was sitting in the car.”
De Bruin said he wants the officer who allegedly shot his son to tell the family why he did it.
“You can’t shoot someone who is sitting in a car. What hurts me the most is that my son is dead. He was obviously shot with intention to kill. His life was taken, allegedly by a police officer. You cannot take the law into your own hands,” said the father.