A motorist was found shot dead in the driver’s seat of his vehicle following a collision with a minibus taxi in Currie Street, Quigney, KuGompo City on Wednesday evening. The incident has prompted police to open a murder case, with investigations ongoing into the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting.
According to Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana, officers responded to a complaint received via radio control regarding a shooting incident in the area. Upon arrival at the scene, they discovered two vehicles that had collided: a Toyota Quantum minibus taxi and a white Audi.
The driver of the Toyota Quantum told police he was travelling eastbound when the white Audi, coming from the opposite direction, veered onto the pavement and crossed into his lane. He attempted to avoid the collision but was unable to do so. The Audi struck his vehicle and came to a stop. Two occupants then exited the Audi and fled the scene on foot.
A group of bystanders reportedly approached the Audi shortly afterwards, removed some items from the vehicle, and left the area. Police found a male occupant still seated in the driver’s seat. He had sustained a single gunshot wound to the head and was already deceased. The victim has since been identified by his wife.
Local residents who gathered at the scene told a Daily Dispatch correspondent that witnesses reported hearing a gunshot before the crash occurred. One resident recounted that, according to onlookers, it appeared the driver was hit in the head and lost control of the vehicle prior to the impact.
The sequence of events — a possible shooting followed by a loss of vehicle control, collision, and subsequent looting — remains under active investigation. No arrests have been reported at this stage, and authorities have not released the identity of the deceased pending further family notifications and investigative requirements.
This incident adds to a pattern of violent crime concerns in parts of the Eastern Cape, where road-related violence and opportunistic crimes at accident scenes continue to pose challenges for law enforcement and communities alike. Police have appealed to anyone with information to come forward as they work to establish the full facts of the case.
