Accidents.co.za | Discussion, Prevention, Investigation and Response

A forty eight year street vender has been shot at the corners of Victoria and Dr Yusuf Da Doo ( Grey Street ) in the busy Durban CBD area this afternoon.

ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene to find the patient lying on the pavement in a pool of blood and unresponsive. Paramedics assessed the patient had found that he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his body. CPR and advanced life support intervention was started but unfortunately all the effects of the paramedics trying to save him, the patient died on the scene due to his fatal injuries.

It is unclear why the man was shot but a suspect has been detained by police for further questioning.

Derrick Banks
ER24

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• Firearms, Accidents and Road Safety

ER24 paramedics from Pietermaritzburg were called out to assist Hilton SAPS after a family feud ended badly with two sisters fighting. One of the sisters was stabbed in the back and sustained 5 degree burns to her back and abdomen after being thrown with boiling water over her, narrowly missing her one year old child which she was carrying at the time of the fight.

Paramedics had to put up a drip to give fluids and pain medication. She was taken to Northdale Hospital for further medical treatment. The one year child was taken for a general check up.

It is unclear what caused the sisters fight or how it progressed to such violence.
Hilton SAPS will be investigating the incident further.

Derrick Banks
ER24

At approximately 07:30 this morning a Table view resident exited his house to fetch his news paper, still dressed in his sleeping attire. He was then attacked by a male with a large knife, presumably a Panga. The resident then managed to block most of the blows from the blade, sustaining serious injuries to his head and hands. He then managed to wrestle his attacker to the ground and subdue the man before law enforcement arrived at the scene.

ER24 paramedics treated the man for multiple lacerations at the scene, before transporting him to hospital. It seems that on this Friday the 13th the big, bad man with the large knife did not win.

Andre Visser
ER24

ER24 paramedics were called to the new prison in Kimberly on Smithdrift Road for assistance after a riot had allegedly broken out.

Paramedics treated six patients within the walls of the prison, five of whom were prison guards, and one who was an inmate. The five wardens had sustained possible smoke inhalation injuries, and the inmate was treated for a head injury.

It seems that a number of prisoners were able to find materials within the prison, and started a fire, and then allegedly began to riot. A further twenty two people were allegedly seen to at the on site clinic, and treated for possible smoke inhalation injuries, it seems that they were then returned to within the prison walls after assessment.

The cause of the riot is at this stage unknown, but the necessary officials will be investigating.

Vanessa Jackson

ER24

A thirty two old shop owner is in a serious condition after being shot in the leg after opening his stall in Field Street, Durban CBD this morning.

ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene to find the man seated on the floor with his pants stained with blood. Paramedics investigated and found he had sustained a gunshot wound to his upper leg and was in a severe pain. The patient received fluid through a drip and advanced life support intervention was performed. The patient was stabilised further and transported to a nearby hospital for further medical care in a serious but stable condition.

It is believed that the man was opening his shop when he was approached by the suspects. Once inside they demanded the money. It is unclear what happened then but the owner got shot and the suspects got away with an undisclosed amount of money.

The necessary authorities were on the scene and would be investigating the incident further.

Derrick Banks
ER24

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ER24 paramedics were called to the Lower Marine Parade beachfront for a man that had been shot. When they arrived, they found the man who is believed to be in his fourties, lying face down in the sand. He had sustained what appeared to be a gun shot wound to his left chest.

After the initial assessment, it was determined that the wound to his chest was fatal, and he was declared deceased on the scene. It seems that there was a witness to the incident, and the Durban Metro police obtained statements to investigate all possibilities.

It is unclear as to whether the man’s family has been informed of this tragedy.

Vanessa Jackson
ER24

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• Firearms, Accidents and Road Safety

Police had their hands full when more than a hundred angry people started rioting near Pietermaritz street in Pietermaritzburg this evening.

Although we cannot guarantee the fact, it most certainly resembled recent Xenophobic attacks that have been occurring around the country in the last months. ER24 paramedics who were on the scene, said that the crowd was large and angry. Initially the paramedics treated three Ethiopian males, who had sustained minor superficial stab wounds to their necks and backs. It also appeared that they did not want any medical treatment, but wanted to rather return to the angry mob to continue fighting for their rights. After the paramedics spoke to the men, they reluctantly agreed to be taken to hospital for further assessment. Their wounds were bandaged and they were loaded into the ambulance.

Before the ambulance left the scene, paramedics were sent another patient. This time a South African woman, who had sustained minor injury to her elbow after rocks had allegedly been thrown at her. She too was patched up and loaded into the ambulance for transport to hospital.

One of the Ethiopian men said that a fight had started in the community when his brother’s car had been vandalised for no apparent reason, and this had sparked the bigger crown of people getting involved, and things turned more violent.

The local Police as well as K9 units were on scene to attempt to calm and disperse the angry crowd.

Vanessa Jackson
ER24

A wedding photographer was accidentally shot dead after he asked the happy couple to pose with guns as part of the big day celebrations, Italian police have revealed.

Calogero Scimea, 45, was hit in the head after one of the guns went off.

He died in front of horrified bride Valentina Anitra, 22, and groom Ignazio Licodia, 25, as well as their parents.

Police said the tragedy happened just before the couple, who are teenage sweethearts, set off for their local church at Altofonte near Palermo on the island of Sicily.

Police were on Tuesday questioning them as well as their relatives.

Prosecutors said the groom’s parents rail worker Mario, 56, and his wife Rita, face possible charges of negligence leading to manslaughter, as the tragedy happened at their house.

Officers said the bride’s parents, who live nearby, were also asked if they had any guns and went home to bring one of their own. All the firearms were legally held.

Ballistics experts have also been called in to examine the weapons, which were hunting rifles kept for shooting mainly wild boar in the nearby hills and countryside.

Palermo police spokesman Colonel Teo Luzi said: “From what we have been able to establish the photographer had asked the parents of the bride and groom if they had any guns to use as props in a picture and one went off hitting him in the head killing him.

“He was only there as a favour for the wedding photographer who had been originally been booked but had to pull out as he was ill. The bride and groom were distraught and the wedding was immediately cancelled.

“The prosecutor is looking at bringing charges against the groom’s parents as this is where the death took place but we need to examine the ballistics report first as the bride’s parents also brought a weapon.”

He added: “The firearms were legally held but in the interests of safety they should all be kept safe and not be handled by people who are not used to them and have no experience.

“What we are trying to establish is if the gun went off as it was being handled by the photographer or if it went off as it was handed to him but no-one is being very talkative.”

In southern Italy and especially Sicily it is common for guns to be fired at family events or festivals as part of the celebrations and in the past this has led to numerous deaths and injuries especially around New Year.

Altofonte’s deputy mayor Angela Busellini said: “No-one can believe it. Everybody is in a state of shock. It’s such a tragic accident. The bride and groom are devastated.” – [Story by Nick Pisa,Daily Mail]

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Police were on Wednesday following leads on the whereabouts of gunmen who shot the chief financial officer for FIFA’s local organising committee outside his home in Sandton, Johannesburg, a spokesperson said.

“I can’t really tell you what happened, but we were called to attend to a shooting at Gallo Manor at about 10 in the morning yesterday [Tuesday],” said Captain Kym Cloete.

Farouk Seedat, 52, was rushed to hospital after being shot in what police believe to be a house robbery.

Police were investigating cases of attempted robbery and attempted murder.

A spokesperson for a hospital where Seedat was admitted said that he was in a stable condition, the Star newspaper reported.

- SAPA

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Firearms, Accidents and Road Safety

A 28 year old man is fighting for his life after he was shot in his chest by alleged robbers.
Paramedics rushed to the scene and found the man lying outside a take away shop in Lenasia. The man had a wound to his chest and was in a critical condition.

On further assessment paramedics found that the man had sustained possible injuries to his spine as well. The man had to be rushed off to a nearby hospital for further medical treatment.

Paramedics could not establish the full identity of the man on the scene and he was transported to a provincial hospital for further stabilisation. During the course of this morning paramedics assisted employees of the shop to arrange further information about the man.

It was later established that the man is the manager of the take away shop and was busy locking up when the incident took place. He was later airlifted from the provincial hospital by the Medicopter to Milpark hospital for further medical management.

The police attended the incident.

Werner Vermaak

ER24