Durban –

A street vendor was shot dead in Phoenix, Durban, on Thursday when she was caught in a crossfire between security guards and robbers, said KwaZulu-Natal police.

Lt-Col Vincent Mdunge said four armed men walked into a scrap-metal business on Thursday morning, apparently intending to rob it.

“It is not clear if the four suspects wanted to rob the business of money or if they wanted to rob members of the private security company of their firearms,” he said.

During their ensuing shootout with security guards, a street vendor was hit in the stomach and died, said Mdunge.

He said three of the robbers were arrested. One firearm was found.

Mdunge said it was not clear who shot the woman. – Sapa