Is Newcastle facing a threat of taxi violence? This question arises after the night’s silence was shattered by gunshots on Saturday, 15 June 2024, when two armed men opened fire on a man parked at a local fuelling station on Kirkland Street, Newcastle.
The dramatic incident unfolded at approximately 9:30 pm, shortly after a taxi driver stopped at the fuelling station with his Toyota Quantum.
According to police reports, the man had been relaxing in his vehicle when he was jolted by a gunshot, which shattered his vehicle’s rear window.
“He climbed out of his vehicle to check what had happened, when another gunshot was fired. He tried to hide when he heard footsteps of people running away,” said the official police source, who noted that the man had fortunately escaped injury.
According to the police source, the two suspects allegedly fled the scene on foot, and their identities are yet to be established.
Reflecting on the case, the police source explained, “The motive is not clear at the moment, but taxi routes issues could be a possible issue as the victim’s vehicle is used for routes in Newcastle, Ladysmith, and Empangeni.”
Newcastle SAPS spokesperson Lizzy Arumugam confirmed the case and said, “No arrests have been made as of yet, but further police investigations are underway.”
Additionally, she noted that it could not be confirmed if the matter was related to taxi routes. However, she emphasised that the Newcastle SAPS would leave no stone unturned to determine whether the incident was linked to taxi route disputes or not.
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