Cape Town: Security guard kills homeless man at bus stop

A security guard that the Golden Arrow Bus Services use to accompany its kiosk sales personnel for their safety, shot and killed a homeless man at the Mowbray bus terminal last week.

DID SECURITY GUARD KILL OUT OF SELF-DEFENCE OR NOT?

The security officer who is employed by an external security company, shot 53-year-old Stanton Daniels. Daniels died from the wound. According to the security guard, Daniels drew a knife and attacked him. The incident took place early Thursday morning, 27 June 2024, just after the bus arrived at the stop around 4:50. John Dammert, the corporate affairs executive of Golden Arrow Bus Services, afterwards confirmed this account. He said that the security guard was acting in self-defence.

However, Elizabeth Sellidon, a friend of Daniels, argues that he was not a threat. She mentioned that the GABS kiosk sales personnel were familiar with Daniels at the bus stop. They would apparently wake him up every morning when they arrived and ask him to move.

Daniels had been living on the street for nearly 15 years and he would sleep by the GABS sales office.

EYEWITNESS SHARES DETAILS OF WHAT HAPPENED

Key eyewitness, Sellidon, recalled what happened during the fatal incident. Daniels was a drug user. After the GABS staff members woke him up, he got up and reached for his needle to inject himself, likely with heroin. His routine was to first inject himself and then begin his rounds pushing his trolley.  

Sellidon explained that Daniels had noticed something wrong with his needle that morning. He wanted to use a broken knife he had to try to fix it. The knife fell to the ground and when he got up after picking up the knife, the security guard shot him in the stomach – a fatal wound. According to Sellidon, Daniels’ body remained there for four hours.

She was particularly angry and upset and said that homeless people are ‘always the first suspects if anything happens’ and that no one is interested in their side of the story.

WHAT ARE THE POLICE SAYING?

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said that they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. When Mowbray police officers arrived at the the crime scene in Victoria Road at around 5:00, they found Daniels’ body with a gunshot wound.

Medical personnel declared Daniels deceased on the scene.

At this point, Mowbray police are investigating a case of murder.