By: Natasha Archary
The Somerset Hospital shooter who killed a police officer and two patients on Saturday, 7 May is an ex-officer who is according to his lawyer, suicidal.
Jean-Paul Malgas, disarmed police officer, Constable Donay Phillips, and used his own gun to shoot him and his other targets.
The 39-year old appeared in the Cape Town Magistrates Court on Tuesday on multiple charges of murder.
According to reports, Constable Phillips was guarding another patient who was brought into the hospital.
The two other victims were 42 and 48-years old and were killed in their beds.
Malgas is said to be a former police officer from Hopefield who was dismissed over a decade ago.
Meanwhile the hero nurse who managed to calm down the Somerset Hospital shooter and sedate him has spoken out about the ordeal.
Speaking to IOL, Sister Diane Seale said she dealt with him as a person.
Without Seale’s intervention, the situation could have been worse with many more victims.
“I wasn’t focused on what he had done or might still do, I dealt with him as a person,” the Operational Manager at the New Somerset Hospital shared.
While conducting her routine handover, Sister Seale said she heard screaming and they were informed of an altercation on the second floor of the hospital.
Seale noticed a body on the floor and she spotted the man with a gun in his hand.
“I proceeded to walk straight to him, making eye contact. I walked towards him, and hugged him. I escorted him into the cubicle. I felt I could calm him down.”
The hero nurse, proceeded to talk the shooter into dropping his weapon and she hugged him, asking him if she could sedate him.
He eventually agreed and the nurse sedated him, in time for the police tactical unit’s arrival.
Malgas is expected back in court on 30 June.



