About six staff members of the McDonald’s fast food franchise in Chapel Street, Kimberley, were relieved and grateful to be unharmed after they were held hostage for almost three hours by an armed gunman late on Tuesday night.
ABOUT six staff members of the McDonald’s fast food franchise in Chapel Street, Kimberley, were relieved and grateful to be unharmed after they were held hostage for almost three hours by an armed gunman late on Tuesday night.
Their ordeal began just after 10pm as staff members were finishing up their duties and preparing to knock off for the evening.
According to information received, a man dressed in black pants, a black hoodie and a cap entered the franchise and pointed a firearm at the head of one of the female staff members.
He apparently demanded that she open the till.
Other staff members who were inside the outlet reportedly ran for safety and hid inside the bathrooms and the refrigerator after seeing the man pull out the firearm.
Another staff member apparently managed to escape through the back door.
The police were alerted to the incident after the franchise’s silent alarm was apparently activated.
Members of the SAPS Tactical Response Team (TRT), as well as members of TSS Security, arrived on the scene and cordoned off the street.
Vehicles were prevented from entering the street while the incident was in progress.
The outside lights of the outlet were also switched off while police snipers reportedly surrounded the building.
Just after 1am on Wednesday morning, tearful staff members were escorted out of the building by TRT members.
There was no sight of the gunman.
It was reportedly later determined, after the scene had been fine-combed by the police, that the armed suspect had escaped without taking any cash or valuables.
This is a developing story.
