A suspect has been arrested after a Grade R pupil was fatally shot while travelling with his family.
Cheslin April, the six-year-old son of Lwadle police’s crime prevention commander, Charles April, died when he was shot in the head while sitting in the backseat of the family car.
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Speaking to News24, the distraught father said that he was usually the person to call for help but when his son needed him, he could not come to his rescue.
The shooting occurred on a family outing to Sir Lowry’s Pass where the children wanted to see the baboons.
However, no baboons were spotted and as they were headed home, they noticed a commotion.
April decided to turn down a side road to avoid any potential danger when he heard people shouting and warning him that shots had been fired earlier in the day.
“As I was reversing, one shot was fired,” he told News24. “I thought a stone had hit the car. I didn’t even consider that they had shot one of my children until my wife started screaming.”
“My 14-year-old son used his bare hands to try to help his brother, to stop the bleeding. His younger sister and brother were covered in his blood. They just froze – they didn’t move or talk. No child should ever have to witness something like that.”
While the father was able to flag down an ambulance, Cheslin passed away in hospital two hours later.
“The children bring each other their school uniforms in the morning. My five-year-old son came into the room this morning with Cheslin’s shoes.”
“I had to explain again that Chessie is in heaven now. He then wanted to know if that meant he wouldn’t be going to school anymore,” April was quoted as saying.
The six-year-old’s funeral will take place at the Dr GJ Joubert Primary School.
Meanwhile, provincial police spokesperson, Captain Frederick van Wyk, confirmed the incident, adding that a 25-year-old man had been arrested shortly after the shooting incident.
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