[imagesource:googlemaps]

Police are investigating the brazen attempted murder of an elderly Chinese man at the bustling Howard Centre in Pinelands on Monday afternoon.

According to officials, a case of attempted murder has been opened following the shocking shooting that unfolded in broad daylight at the popular shopping spot.

Speaking to the Cape Argus, police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said the victim, a 62-year-old man was shot in the chest and seriously wounded near the library behind the shopping centre at about 3:15 PM.

“Initial reports of the incident reveal that the male victim was accosted by four unknown suspects who attempted to rob him and grab a black bag he was carrying when a scuffle ensued.

Police later discovered that the bag contained documents and a laptop.”

Pojie said that several shots were fired in the direction of the victim, with one bullet hitting him in the chest.

News24 notes that a bystander inside the library reported hearing gunshots and seeing the man sprint towards the entrance before he was struck.

He collapsed between the sidewalk and a parking bay, just steps away from the library entrance, as paramedics rushed to his aid.

Police cordoned off the area with tape, wrapping it around nearby vehicles to secure the scene. Onlookers stood in shock, watching the unsettling scene unfold in what was usually a quiet, suburban shopping centre.

The victim was hospitalised for medical treatment, Pojie said, while the assailants fled the scene empty-handed. They are currently being sought by the police.

[source:capeargus]