mrselfdestrukt's Journal: News Flash: Robbed US family set to go home.

30/01/2006 22:50 - (SA)
Eduan Roos, Beeld

Johannesburg - A four-year-old boy was shot in the chest and leg during a robbery at his parents' house when his father ducked to avoid a bullet, not knowing the child was behind him.

His family, Americans who have lived in South Africa for three years, said that as soon as the child - still in a critical condition in Milpark Hospital - had recovered, they would pack up and return to the United States.

Software engineer Daniel Palay, 38, and his family were attacked in their Glenhazel house by a gang of armed robbers about 06:30 on Saturday.

Palay said: "My wife,Tracy, was in the kitchen making tea and coffee for us and chocolate milk for the boys while I was still in bed.

"The next minute she screamed in fear and I jumped out of bed as fast as I could and ran to the kitchen."

Palay said an armed robber waylaid him in the passage.

"Without saying a word, he began shooting blindly. I fell flat to avoid the bullets," he said.

Tied up and locked in

The noise probably woke his second-youngest son, Tamir, who ran after his father.

Palay said: "I didn't realise he was behind me when I fell flat."

The robbers bound Palay, Tracy, Tamir and their three other sons - Yonnis, eight, Ben, six, and Gavis (nine months) with ropes and ties and locked them in the main bedroom.

Palay said: "I managed to free myself and the others, then we escaped through a window and went to get help."

Palay said his family, who moved from America to Israel, came to South Africa three years ago.

"We definitely won't stay here any longer," he said.

"We love South Africa and its people a lot, but when something like this happens, you have to think first of trying to protect your family and keep all your options open."

Palay said Tamir was taken off a respirator on Monday and that he is "out of immediate danger".

"The whole family is still paralysed with shock after the shooting and it feels dreadfully unreal," he said.

"We can only remember bits of it and we will return to America as soon as we can."

A family friend told 702 Talk Radio on Monday that the family was handling the armed robbery "surprisingly well".

'House was virtually emptied'

"Luckily, the little one is a fighter and ought to recover soon," he said.

Police spokesperson captain Schalk Bornman said the gang presumably gained entry to the house through an open kitchen window.

"The whole house was virtually emptied and although the Johannesburg police's serious and violent crime unit is investigating, no one has been arrested so far,'' Bornman said.

A hospital spokesperson confirmed that Tamir's condition was still serious, but stable.

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