Bullets Fly as Police Gun Down 6-Armed Robbery Suspects in Fiery Shoot-Out
By Loyd Matare
Six-armed robbery suspects met a violent end in a dramatic exchange of gunfire with the police near the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls tollgate in the early hours of March 18, 2025.
The gang, which had terrorized a local shop before fleeing with stolen goods, was intercepted by alert detectives, leading to a high-stakes showdown.
According to Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, the suspects had spent the day at Young Money General Dealer Shop in Insuza, drinking and surveying their target.
As night fell, they struck, brandishing pistols, knives, and axes.
“The gang overpowered two shop employees, binding them with electric cables and covering their faces with blankets before demanding cash and gold,” said Commissioner Nyathi.
The robbers looted an undisclosed amount of money, groceries, an inverter, a lithium battery, an amplifier, a gas tank, and mobile phones before loading the stolen items into their getaway vehicle, a silver Honda Fit (registration AEY 4843), and speeding off.
But their luck ran out when one of the victims managed to alert their employer, who quickly informed the police.
Officers set up surveillance along Victoria Falls Road and spotted the suspect vehicle approaching the tollgate.
“When ordered to stop, the criminals opened fire on police officers, prompting a shoot-out. In a desperate attempt to escape, they crashed into the boom gate at the tollgate,” Nyathi confirmed.
All six suspects were subdued and rushed to United Bulawayo Hospitals, where they were pronounced dead.
Police recovered two pistols with live rounds, two gas-operated pistols, two knives, an axe, and a haul of stolen property, including groceries, the lithium battery, and the amplifier.
Commissioner Nyathi reiterated the ZRP’s stance against armed robbery syndicates.
“There is no going back in the fight against crime. Any criminal who dares to confront law enforcement will face appropriate measures,” he warned.
Meanwhile, police are investigating a chilling incident in which 38-year-old Watson Munyaka died after being thrown from a moving Toyota Fortuner in Marondera’s Central Business District on March 17, 2025.
The incident occurred around 2:10 PM along Fifth Street, near the Chicken Inn Drive-Through.
Munyaka was rushed to Marondera Provincial Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Authorities are appealing to the public for information that may assist in uncovering the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Commissioner Nyathi confirmed that investigations are ongoing, with more details set to be released in due course.
