A 36-year-old woman was allegedly shot dead by her former boyfriend in Tweeling, Free State, before police fatally wounded the suspect in a separate shootout.

The Tweeling domestic violence shooting happened on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, after the woman finished work in Reitz. Police have opened a murder case, while the Independent Police Investigative Directorate will investigate the suspect’s death.

Police trace suspect after Tweeling shooting

According to The South African, citing the South African Police Service, the woman finished her shift at about 17:45 and travelled in the direction of Tweeling. Police said she boarded a white vehicle in which her 40-year-old former boyfriend was already travelling.

When the vehicle reached 10th Street in Tweeling, the woman got out. Police allege the man followed her, grabbed her and shot her in the head at close range before fleeing towards Reitz.

Members of the public then alerted police and provided information about the suspect’s movements. Officers from the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit and Tweeling Visible Policing began searching for him.

SAPS says FCS units specialise in investigating family violence and sexual offences.

Police later found the suspect hitchhiking. Officers from the FCS Unit stopped nearby in an unmarked Mahindra while another vehicle carrying uniformed officers approached.

Police allege the suspect drew a firearm and fired at the uniformed officers. FCS members then returned fire, fatally wounding him.

IPID to investigate fatal police shooting

The Tweeling domestic violence shooting has resulted in two separate investigations. Police opened a murder case in connection with the woman’s death and an inquest following the suspect’s death.

IPID will investigate the police shooting. Under section 28 of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Act, the directorate must investigate deaths that result from police action.

The investigation will therefore examine the circumstances surrounding the exchange of gunfire independently from the murder investigation.

Police condemn domestic violence killing

Free State Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thabang Lesia condemned the killing and thanked community members for helping police find the suspect. Official SAPS records identify Lesia as the province’s police commissioner.

Lesia also urged people facing threats, intimidation or abuse to seek help before violence escalates.

“Early reporting can enable the police and other relevant support structures to intervene before such situations escalate into loss of life,” he said.

The Tweeling domestic violence shooting comes as police continue to urge communities to report family violence and assist investigators with information about serious crimes.