North West Police Constable Shoots and Kills Lover, Friend and Turns Gun on Himself

North West Police Constable Shoots and Kills Lover, Friend and Turns Gun on Himself

  • North-West police are investigating a double murder-suicide and attempted murder involving an officer in Itsoseng, Lichtenburg
  • Police said Constable Lesego Phefo entered a house where his girlfriend and two other men were having a party and opened fire
  • An inquest probe is also underway after Phefo turned the gun on himself and succumbed at the scene while one person survived
  • Police spokesperson Colonel Adele Myburgh told Briefly News the officer was a Mahikeng Public Order Police (POPs) member
Police officer in North West kills himself after shooting girlfriend, 2 others
North West cops are investigating double murder, attempted murder and inquest dockets after a constable went on the rampage in Itsoseng. Images: Tshepiso Mametela
Source: Original

LICHTENBURG — A policeman in Lichtenburg in the North-West shot and killed two people and wounded a third person before turning the gun on himself.

Constable Lesego Phefo died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the incident in the early hours of Saturday, 2 November 2024.

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Constable kills lover, friend and himself

Police responded to the scene in Zone 2 Itsoseng, 35km from Lichtenburg, and found three bodies lying in a pool of blood.

One other person was alive but seriously injured and rushed to the hospital.

"Paramedics declared two men and the woman dead at the scene and transported a third man, who was injured, to hospital for treatment," said provincial police spokesperson Colonel Adele Myburgh.

According to information, a group of friends were at a house having a party when Phefo, 28, entered with a firearm and shot at the people inside.

Myburgh, who told Briefly News the officer was a member of the Mahikeng Public Order Police (POPs), said Phefo's girlfriend, Tlhalefo Setlhare, 38, and one of the other men sustained multiple gunshots.

"The officer suffered a gunshot wound to his head, and a firearm was found close to his body," she added.

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Itsoseng police are investigating double murder, attempted murder and inquest dockets.

"The Provincial Commissioner Lt-Gen Sello Kwena extended condolences to the families of the deceased. He reminded and urged all SAPS [South African Police Service] employees to access employee health and wellness services when facing any challenges."

Cop allegedly shoots lover, kills himself

In related news, Briefly News reported that an officer died in an attempted murder and suicide after shooting his girlfriend several times and turning the gun on himself at a flat in Doornfontein, Johannesburg.

The motive for the 21 August 2024 incident is unknown. The officer, Kabelo Mashele, 24, was a constable stationed at Parkview police station.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Tshepiso Mametela avatar

Tshepiso Mametela (Head of Current Affairs Desk) Tshepiso Mametela is a seasoned journalist with eight years of experience writing for online and print publications. He is the current affairs Head of Desk at Briefly News. He was a news reporter for The Herald, a senior sports contributor at Opera News SA, and a reporter for Caxton Local Media’s Bedfordview and Edenvale News and Joburg East Express community titles. He has attended media workshops, including the crime and court reporting one by the Wits Justice Project and Wits Centre for Journalism in 2024. Email: tshepiso.mametela@briefly.co.za