Man killed as gang fires on police during protest in Port Elizabeth suburb

The man who was killed in Helenvale in Port Elizabeth on Thursday died as gang members opened fire on police trying to curb protests in the area.

Police spokeswoman Brigadier Miranda Mills said Renaldo Henike‚ 23‚ was shot and taken to hospital by a person on the scene‚ but died of his injuries.

The shooting happened as residents continued to protest in Helenvale against what they say are empty promises by mayor Athol Trollip.

However‚ it has not been established whether Henike was linked to either the protests or the gangsters.

“Police were deployed this morning due to violent public protests in Stanford Road‚ Helenvale. A number of private vehicles and four police vehicles were damaged. Several members sustained light injuries but were not hospitalised‚” Mills said.

“Police fired rubber bullets and whilst concentrating on curbing the violence‚ members of gangs in the area took advantage of the situation and fired shots at the police members deployed.”

Mills said two other men were shot – one with a rubber bullet‚ the other in the hand.

A murder and two cases of attempted murder will be investigated by IPID . Cases of malicious damage to property have also been opened.

Mills said four youths between the ages of 15 and 17 were arrested on charges of Public Violence.

The area is still closed to traffic and police are monitoring the situation.