[imagesource: Leon Knipe]

Green Point’s New Somerset Hospital was the scene of a triple killing on Saturday.

It’s believed that a male patient at the hospital fought with a police officer at around 6PM and manage to grab the officer’s firearm.

He then shot the officer, Constable Donay Phillips, 32, from the Sea Point police station, as well as two patients, aged 42 and 48.

News24 reports that Western Cape Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo said Phillips was in a nearby ward when he heard an altercation and went to investigate.

He was guarding a man suspected of involvement in a robbery.

The provincial health department said it was believed that the alleged shooter was a patient who was ready for discharge…

Mbombo said the alleged shooter was taken to Cape Town Central police station.

Police have yet to confirm the first court appearance of the shooter.

Phillips succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde thanked the medical staff on hand for their swift and courageous actions, including a nursing sister who “managed to calm down the shooter, get the firearm away and in doing that save further lives and managed to calm down the whole situation”.

The suspect will face three counts of murder.

[sources:news24&dailymav]