Suspect with toy gun shot after attempted hijacking of G20 vehicle
A suspected carjacker was wounded on Friday evening, 21 November 2025, after attempting to hijack a vehicle assigned to G20 summit operations.
The vehicle was being used by members of the South African Police Service’s National Intervention Unit (NIU), who were patrolling around Johannesburg as part of intensified security for the global event.
According to SAPS, the suspect leapt into the roadway along Empire Road and pointed what appeared to be a firearm at the driver, unaware that the occupants were NIU officers. One officer fired a shot, striking the suspect in the upper body. He was later taken to hospital under police guard.
Police confirmed the weapon used was an imitation firearm. Under the Firearms Control Act, using a replica gun during the commission of a crime is treated as a serious offence, including attempting to mislead a victim into believing it is real.
The suspect will face charges of attempted hijacking once medically cleared. - MDN
