Tragedy struck in Belvedere, as a South African man fatally shot his estranged wife before turning the gun on himself, all while their 10-year-old daughter looked on in horror.

The heartbreaking incident unfolded on Saunders Circle on Wednesday afternoon, March 20, 2024, sending shockwaves through the community.

Reports flooded in to the Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) Tongaat Operations Centre, prompting a swift response from officers who rushed to the scene.

Upon arrival at approximately 17:58, responders found the man critically injured, having sustained a gunshot wound to his head. Meanwhile, the lifeless body of his wife, also shot in the head, lay on the driveway.

Tragically, it was revealed that the couple, although married, had been separated. The man, employed as an Armed Response Officer (ARO), arrived at the scene in his company vehicle, dressed in uniform, to pick up their daughter.

An argument erupted, escalating to a horrifying climax when the man brandished his company-issued firearm, ending his wife’s life before attempting to take his own.

The scene was marked by the discovery of four spent 9mm cartridges, serving as grim evidence of the violence that unfolded.

Despite the gravity of his injuries, emergency responders stabilized the man before rushing him to the hospital for further treatment. Fortunately, their daughter, though undoubtedly traumatized by the harrowing events, emerged physically unharmed from the ordeal.