Johannesburg – Tragically, 22-year-old Chesnay Patricia Keppler, a crime prevention officer, has lost her life in Eldorado Park, allegedly due to her police officer boyfriend’s actions.

The off-duty officer was fatally shot at her home on Smarag Street on Christmas Day, which occurred on Wednesday, 25 December 2024.

It is reported that around 03:00 on Christmas Day, the police sergeant arrived at his girlfriend’s house on Smarag Street.

The sergeant allegedly drove a police vehicle to Eldorado Park while under the influence of alcohol, accompanied by a fellow police officer.

Upon his arrival at Keppler’s residence, he purportedly forced her into the police vehicle, as her mother and two friends watched in shock.

Reports suggest that the sergeant physically assaulted Keppler, and when her friends tried to intervene, he directed his aggression toward them.

However, witnesses stated that the women eventually managed to overpower the sergeant, escaping into the house and locking the door behind them.

One of the friends recorded the violent encounter on a cellphone video.

The footage shows the sergeant going back to the police vehicle to get his firearm before returning to the yard.

From the kitchen window, the sergeant allegedly fired several shots at Keppler.

She was quickly taken to Baragwanath Hospital, where she was pronounced dead upon her arrival.

A witness informed the police that the victim had endured an abusive relationship with the sergeant for a long time.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), the body responsible for investigating deaths, assaults, rapes, and torture involving police, reported that the sergeant fled the scene after the shooting.

Police tracked down the suspect; however, before an arrest could occur, the sergeant attempted to take his own life.

He is currently hospitalized under police supervision and is expected to make his first appearance at the Protea Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 30 December 2024.