KZN Gov pays respects to family of slain rugby player, Linda Myeni

Myeni was shot dead during an alleged altercation with officers from the Honolulu police department in Hawaii.

DURBAN, April 21 (ANA) – The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government on Wednesday paid respects to the family of Lindani Myeni, who was shot dead by police in Honolulu, Hawaii a week ago.

KZN Director-General Dr Nonhlanhla Mkhize visited the late rugby player’s family home in Esikhawini, just outside Empangeni in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Myeni, who was 29, was shot dead during an alleged altercation with officers from the Honolulu police department. A video tape of his botched arrest shows police trying to apprehend Myeni before shooting him first with a taser gun and then using live ammunition.

Honolulu police chief Susan Ballard told local media that police responded to a “robbery in progress” report at a Nuuanu home after Myeni entered and began talking with the homeowners, who were upset that he had come inside.

The video clip circulating online shows a woman frantically screaming and Myeni near his car as officers approach him. A few minutes later, he is shot multiple times. The video also shows that the arresting officers did not properly identify themselves but rather surprised Myeni with a blinding light, to which he reacted.

Myeni’s phone was also taken in as evidence.

During a press conference after the shooting, Honolulu police acting deputy chief Allan Nagata said he was impressed with the way the officers handled the call out.

“They were in the fight for their lives, let me be clear with you. And as a result of this they did very well, they were very brave, they fought for their lives,” Nagata said during a live news conference which was also streamed online.

“They didn’t shoot or discharge their firearm right away, this was not a case of overreaction.”

Nagata said Myeni should have known it was the police apprehending him before attacking them, as they had their radio, were in uniform and arrived in marked cars.

According to reports, the United States embassy in South Africa is carefully looking at the investigation around his death.

– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa