A police firearm jammed during a shootout as police tried to intercept an armed man who went on a killing spree in Wedza on Friday gunning down a self-styled prophet, a police officer and another victim.
The man who is still on the run and described by the police as “armed and dangerous” also shot and injured another police officer.
According to information received by CITE, the armed man killed a church leader of the Masowe sect at a church gathering in Mukamba area in Wedza on Friday afternoon.
A team of police officers led by Officer In Charge of Wedza police station Inspector Maxwell Hove reacted to the incident.
“When the station reaction team reached Matsine area they intercepted the armed man who had parked his motor vehicle and was outside the motor vehicle . The police approached him and when he that it was the police he pulled out a pistol from his waist and fired some shots and there was an exchange of fire between police and the armed man,” said police sources.
“During the shooting incident, the police firearm jammed and the armed man continued firing at the police officers and during this stampede of trying to escape from this firing the police lost one FN rifle and a pistol. The other four police officers escaped from the scene and left Inspector Hove who was sitting on the police vehicle’s passenger seat, Sgt Mutungambera who was the driver and Detective Constable Mugova who was hiding underneath the motor vehicle after he had been shot.”
In the melee, the other police officers ran away leaving Inspector Hove “who was trying to open the locked passenger door”.
“The armed man approached Inspector Hove and shot him twice on the head and left him unconscious,” sources said.
The man then drove off in his vehicle towards Mukamba area.
Inspector Hove was later rushed to St Mary’s Hospital where he was pronounced on by the hospital staff.
Detective Constable Mugova who had been shot is currently receiving treatment at Morris Depot Hospital.
