World karate, continental and SA boxing female champion Leighandre Jegels was shot and killed on Friday, allegedly by her police officer boyfriend, whom she had a protection order against, Times Live reports.
Jegels’ mother, who was also shot in the attack, was rushed to an East London hospital.
A 37-year-old police Tactical Response Team officer was later arrested about 15km from Peddie after the hired white Mercedes-Benz he had been driving was involved in an accident. One person was killed in the accident while four others were injured, the police confirmed to DispatchLIVE on Friday afternoon.
Jegels’s father, Anslin, who was at the scene in Voortrekker Road near Da Gama textile shops, was too distraught to speak to the media. Makhanda police cluster spokesperson Captain Mali Govender confirmed the arrest.
When the WBA Pan-African junior-bantamweight boxing champ was shot dead, she had been travelling in her Volkswagen GTI with her mother to a gym session at Zolani Tete’s All Winners Boxing Club in Mdantsane’s NU1.
She had been training for her ring return against Siphosethu Nxazonke in a junior-bantamweight non-title clash in Mthatha on October 2.
East London police spokesperson Captain Hazel Mqala confirmed the two were flagged down by the suspect who was already standing on the Da Gama turn-off.
Jegels and the accused lived together in Cove Rock until the boxer obtained a protection order against him, sources said.
“She did report allegations of domestic violence against the suspect.
“The guy was standing near the Da Gama textile factory turn-off. She noticed him and got out of the car to talk to him but he pulled out a gun and shot her in the face three times, and proceeded by shooting the mother,” a source said.
Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson Sontaga Seisa said: “It is alleged that an off-duty policeman based at TRT East London fired several shots at his girlfriend who died instantly on the scene. The same policeman fired shots to his girlfriend’s mother and injured her. She is currently receiving medical attention in the area.”
