Gun found in teenager's groin as Eldorado Park officers chase gang fight gunshots

Eldorado Park police arrested a suspect and recovered a stolen South African Police Service firearm during crime prevention operations, SAPS Gauteng said in a statement issued through the office of the provincial commissioner.

According to the statement, officers attached to Visible Policing Crime Prevention were on routine duties on Thursday, 29 October 2026 at about 21:00 when they received a complaint about a gang fight in Main Street, Extension 7, Eldorado Park. On arrival, community members told them a group of boys were fighting and that some were allegedly in possession of firearms.

While the officers were speaking to the community they heard gunshots from Daartmore Street and responded. Patrolling that street, they spotted a group of about 15 young males. One of them drew their attention because he appeared nervous and was holding his groin area as though concealing something.

The statement says police approached him, identified themselves and obtained permission to search him. The search turned up a black 9mm Pietro Beretta pistol with a magazine holding ten live rounds of ammunition, concealed in his groin area.

Further inspection showed the weapon was a SAPS-issued firearm reported stolen in Odendaalsrus under CAS 2016. The firearm and ammunition were seized and will undergo ballistic testing to establish whether the weapon can be linked to other criminal activities.

The suspect was arrested and detained at Eldorado Park SAPS. He is expected to appear before the Protea Magistrate’s Court soon on charges of possession of a stolen firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.

Brigadier Maluleke, the station commander of Eldorado Park SAPS, commended the members for their swift response and thanked the community for its help in the fight against crime.

Police asked anyone with information about criminal activity in Eldorado Park to contact the station on 011 946 0300 or 082 444 3001, or to pass information anonymously to the SAPS Crime Stop hotline on 08600 10111. The statement was issued with Sergeant Fezeka Khobo as the enquiry contact.

The account is SAPS’s own summary of the operation and the charges, published at https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/msspeechdetail.php?nid=72162, and not a court record. The suspect has not been convicted of any offence.