Pieter van der Westhuizen – who shot and killed two robbers at the Querencia Ministries church in Wierda Park, Centurion, on Sunday – protected not only himself, but the entire congregation, his lawyer said.

Lawyer Ulrich Roux of Ulrich Roux & Associates told News24 that Van der Westhuizen – a retired police officer and brother of late Springbok scrum half Joost van der Westhuizen – was still shaken following the incident. 

“Of course, it is a traumatic experience for anybody. He will be receiving the necessary counselling, but he seems okay. He was a police officer for 13 years, so he’s had the necessary training to deal with similar situations, but it remains a traumatic experience for everyone.” 

News24 earlier reported that two robbers were shot dead and a third fled after during the robbery on Sunday morning. According to Roux, no one else was seriously injured.

*Article appeared on Crime News 24