By Staff Writer
Police in Lusaka have gunned down one suspected dangerous criminal and recovered an AK 47 rifle with ammunition.
Police Assistant Spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi said police were acting on a tip-off from an informer that criminals were about to stage a robbery, the Anti-robbery Squad was quickly dispatched to the area.
Mr Chilabi said facts of the matter are that the Anti-robbery Squad spotted a Toyota Axio,along Kasangula road, matching the description given by the informant .
He said the incident occurred on January 27, 2023 around 18:00hrs along Kasangula Road.
Mr Chilabi said the said motor vehicle was parked by the roadside with three suspected criminals standing outside.
“Upon being challenged by the police, an exchange of fire ensued between the suspected criminals and the police.
Two criminals managed to jump onto the the Axio Motor Vehicle and sped off while one was hit by a bullet and fell down,” he said.
He said when officers advanced to pick him up, an AK 47 rifle with erased serial number with four rounds of ammunution was recovered.
Mr Chilabi said the criminal was picked and rushed to University Teaching Hospital for treatment, unfortunately, he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
He said the criminal is believed to have escaped from the recent shooting incident in Kitwe involving a theft of motor vehicle that occurred at Chiwempala Police station.
Mr Chilaba said he is also believed to have been behind a spate of aggravated robberies that occurred between Copperbelt and Lusaka provinces.
He said an inquiry file has since been opened while a manhunt has been instituted into the other two who fled.
The body of the deceased is in University Teaching Hospital Mortuary awaiting postmortem.