Jantjies's suspected killer arrested

Police have arrested a suspect in connection with the killing of Jay-Linn Jantjies, 6, in Helenvale in September.

Police acting provincial commissioner Maj-Gen Andre Swart said on Sunday detectives from the Gelvandale Tracing Team had spotted the suspect, who had been evading arrest, in Deverill Road, on Thursday last week.

"A chase ensued, resulting in his apprehension in Chamois Street. He was detained on a charge of attempted murder as well as an unrelated case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and pointing of a firearm."

On Friday, the day after the arrest, Jantjies died in hospital.

On September 23 the little girlwas playing on the pavement outside her home in Kobus Street in Helenvale when shots were fired and she was hit in the head.

She survived but she was put into an induced coma in hospital after an eight-hour operation to remove bullet fragments from her skull.

Her father Randall Jantjies, 39, said at the time that he had been at work and his wife was watching television when there were a series of gunshots. Their daughter ran into the yard and collapsed.

Jantjies said it seemed that there were two groups of gangsters clashing. The shooting was happening some distance away but a stray bullet hit Jay-Linn.

The shooting of the little girl happened shortly after members of the anti-gang tracking team shot a suspected gangster in the leg in Kwanoxolo in Bloemendal after he allegedly tried to escape from police.

Swart on Sunday sent his condolences to Jantjies’s family.

"Callous criminals such as this must be removed from society. We will be working closely with the prosecuting authority to ensure a successful prosecution," he said.