adminTemba Dube Senior Reporter
AN unidentified man caused panic after he allegedly fired four shots at a commuter omnibus driver in Bulawayo’s Central Business District yesterday.The incident, which left witnesses terrified, occurred at about 3pm along Fife Street, near Cecil Hotel. Witnesses said the man arrived in a green twin cab and parked alongside the kombi.
There were conflicting statements regarding the type of vehicle he was driving, as some witnesses said it was a Ford Ranger while others said it was a Mazda BT50.
“The man was wearing a striped shirt and khaki cargo pants. He went to the kombi driver, drew out a gun and fired two shots at him, without speaking to him. The driver was seated in a white kombi that had a blue stripe on the side. I think the shots hit him because they were fired from point blank range. The kombi driver put his vehicle into gear and drove off,” said a witness.
Vendors who also watched the drama unfold, said when people realised what was happening, they started running in different directions to avoid the gunman.
“The gunman fired two more shots at the kombi as it sped off, moving onto the oncoming traffic lane, towards Airport Road. A bullet shattered one of the windows and the armed man ran back to his car, which he used to chase after the kombi,” said another witness.
When Chronicle arrived at the scene detectives were picking bullet cartridges on the road. Shocked witnesses were animatedly discussing the incident.
“This is the first time I have seen a real gun being fired. It is actually scary. There was no telling whether the man would turn and shoot at other people,” said one of the witnesses.
Contacted for comment, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) spokesperson Detective Inspector Ntombizodwa Chiduwuro confirmed the incident.
“I can confirm that there was a shooting incident in the Bulawayo city centre. However, at this stage I cannot give comment further as it would jeopardise investigations,” said Det Insp Chiduwuro.
Online Reporter