Overview

• Josh Sullivan, a 45-year-old American missionary, was kidnapped at gunpoint during a church service on April 10 in Motherwell Township, South Africa.
• He was rescued on April 15 by a multi-agency South African police team, including the Hawks, after verified intelligence led them to a safe house in Gqeberha.
• A shootout ensued when suspects in a vehicle attempted to flee and opened fire on law enforcement, resulting in the deaths of three abductors.
• Sullivan was found unharmed in the suspects' vehicle and was assessed to be in excellent medical condition following his rescue.
• The incident highlights a 264% rise in kidnappings in South Africa over the past decade, with ongoing investigations into the identities of other suspects involved.