Captain Stephen Marais said the man, who was awaiting trial, was killed after dog unit police spotted a stolen car near Buffalo Pass on Wednesday morning.

The police gave chase up to Braelyn where the stolen vehicle, a Toyota Avanza, drove into a fence and two other suspects managed to escape.

"One of the [three] suspects aged 23 who had a firearm turned it to the police and it then happened that there was a close range shoot-out and the suspect was fatally wounded," Marais said.

The firearm allegedly found in possession of the killed man was confirmed to have been stolen from a policeman during an escape at the magistrate's court on Tuesday.

The vehicle was also found to have been hijacked in Toilet City on Tuesday night.

Sapa

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