A PORT Elizabeth mother and child were lucky to escape with their lives after being shot by unknown assailants when their car ran out of fuel and stalled on the Kempston Road off- ramp at the weekend.
There were two adult women and three children in the car at the time.
The attack on the stranded women and children happened at 4pm on Saturday after two young men approached the vehicle and demanded that the driver unlock her door.
Another passerby had already stopped and offered to help the women and was on his way to a garage to get fuel for them.
Police spokesman Johan Rheeder said when the woman refused to open her door, one of the suspects pulled out a gun and fired off several shots, shattering the glass.
The woman was shot in the chest and her four-year-old daughter, who had been sitting directly behind her at the time, was shot in the upper arm.
Rheeder said the men then raided the vehicle and fled with cash and other valuables.
Another passerby alerted the police.
The mother and child were taken to the Mercantile Hospital where they were both operated on and are believed to be in a stable condition.
Rheeder said the other occupants of the vehicle were still traumatised and police had still not been able to take their statements by last night.
He said he could not yet provide the names of the attack victims.
"We are investigating two cases of attempted murder and theft. We are on the lookout for two young men.
"That is pretty much all that we know at this stage.
"Once we have obtained the complainants' statements we will be in a better position to follow up on some leads."
