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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| SA police chief condemns shooting | SA police chief condemns shooting |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| South Africa's police chief has condemned the shooting of a three-year-old boy by an officer. | South Africa's police chief has condemned the shooting of a three-year-old boy by an officer. |
| Bheki Cele dismissed the officer's claim that he fired in self defence, believing the pipe the boy was carrying to be a gun. | Bheki Cele dismissed the officer's claim that he fired in self defence, believing the pipe the boy was carrying to be a gun. |
| He told the BBC the killing was a "reckless criminal act", saying: "Even if it was a real gun, you should not have started by shooting." | He told the BBC the killing was a "reckless criminal act", saying: "Even if it was a real gun, you should not have started by shooting." |
| But he defended the police's right to use "deadly force" when necessary. | But he defended the police's right to use "deadly force" when necessary. |
| Atlegang Phalane was in a car the police thought was being driven by suspected criminals when he was shot in Midrand, near Johannesburg. | |
| The policeman has been charged with murder and remains in custody. | The policeman has been charged with murder and remains in custody. |
| Mr Cele told the BBC's Network Africa programme. "You could have used other means on the three-year-old." | Mr Cele told the BBC's Network Africa programme. "You could have used other means on the three-year-old." |
| Outrage | Outrage |
| The police chief was appointed by President Jacob Zuma in July to lead the fight against the country's high levels of crime. | The police chief was appointed by President Jacob Zuma in July to lead the fight against the country's high levels of crime. |
| Police have a right to use a deadly force when their life is under threat Police chief Bheki Cele | Police have a right to use a deadly force when their life is under threat Police chief Bheki Cele |
| President Zuma said at the time that police should get tough, but said they should not be "trigger happy". | President Zuma said at the time that police should get tough, but said they should not be "trigger happy". |
| Mr Cele said the police's shoot-to-kill approach had nothing to do with the wrongful shooting of the boy. | |
| "Police have a right to use a deadly force when their life is under threat," he said. | "Police have a right to use a deadly force when their life is under threat," he said. |
| "I don't think that anybody can assess the situation and find that a three-year-old is putting your life in danger and under threat." | "I don't think that anybody can assess the situation and find that a three-year-old is putting your life in danger and under threat." |
| The BBC's Pumza Fihlani in Johannesburg says the shooting has caused public outrage and has been widely condemned. | The BBC's Pumza Fihlani in Johannesburg says the shooting has caused public outrage and has been widely condemned. |
| Atlegang's mother Mapule Phalane has accused the policeman of not being remorseful about the shooting. | Atlegang's mother Mapule Phalane has accused the policeman of not being remorseful about the shooting. |
| "I could not believe my eyes when I arrived at the scene. | "I could not believe my eyes when I arrived at the scene. |
| "He was busy eating a lollipop. I approached him and asked why he killed my son, but he looked at me as if I was crazy," said Ms Phalane, South Africa's Sowetan newspaper reported. | "He was busy eating a lollipop. I approached him and asked why he killed my son, but he looked at me as if I was crazy," said Ms Phalane, South Africa's Sowetan newspaper reported. |