A fallen Cape Town police officer has been described as someone who died while protecting the community with courage and heroism.
Constable Ashwin Pedro, 26, was shot and killed while on duty in Grassy Park on Thursday around 17:45.
Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile, Western Cape provincial commissioner, paid his respects to the family in Lavender Hill on Friday.
“Last night, we learned of the untimely death of one of our members, who was killed during operations by someone who has no regard for life, no regard for the country, no regard for the community, no regard for the police, or any other person.”
“When that person attacked and killed our member, he was doing his job to protect the community.”
“We came here today to visit the family and share their grief because their loss is our loss, as well as the loss of the country and community,” he said, adding that the suspect had been apprehended and would face the full force of the law.
“We arrested the person, got the gun back, and we’re going to do everything we can to make sure he never sees the light of day, and the court will make that decision.”
Meanwhile, the young officer’s mother, Lynette Pedro, stated that he was the eldest of four children.
She was too emotional to continue speaking while her husband was at the mortuary formally identifying their son’s body.
Colonel Dawood Laing, the commander of the Grassy Park police station, described Pedro, who was stationed there, as quiet.
“This young man, only 26 years old, spent six years of his life at Grassy Park police station, very quiet and always doing what he was supposed to do.”
“And last night, despite the fact that the suspect was much larger than him, he approached the suspect and fired a shot at the perpetrator, demonstrating his courage and heroism that he stood for.”
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