According to The Sun, police fired a range of bullets during Aphiwe Mapekula's arrest after he tried to attack them with a knife.
It is believed that the cannibal ignored the police’s warning shots and continued to eat the remains of Thembisa Masumpa.
Masumpa was murdered by the 23-year-old according to Captain Edith Mjoko who said: 'He killed her with a knife by cutting her throat.'
Mapekula’s mother first alerted authorities after seeing the graphic murder with her own eyes, stating: ‘I never raised a son like this one. I never imagined this.'
Drugs are believed to be the cause for Mapekula's erratic behavior, with Mayor Bulelwa Mabengu telling local media: ' believe that drugs and substance abuse was a major contributing factor.'
After the home shoot-out, Mapekula was taken to hospital but died a few days later.
This article originally appeared on New Idea.
