UPDATE: Police confirmed on Friday morning that one of the injured victims has died.
"The fatalities in last night’s attack in Bishop Lavis have risen to seven. The 26-year-old female victim who sustained serious head injuries has succumbed to death this morning."
The Western Cape has been hit with another mass shooting, this time in Bishop Lavis on the Cape Flats.
Six people were shot and killed while two others were left injured.
The Western Cape police spokesperson, Brigadier Novela Potelwa, said the incident took place just before 9pm on Thursday.
“Western Cape police have reinforced deployments in the Bishop Lavis area following an incident where four men and two women were shot and killed on Thursday evening. Two other persons were wounded during the shooting incident.
“Police reports from the scene indicate that at approximately 8.40pm an armed suspect entered an informal dwelling in Kogelberg Street and fired several shots at the occupants. Six people were fatally wounded while two others were wounded. The injured pair were transported to a medical facility for treatment,” Potelwa said.
She said six murder and two attempted murder dockets have been opened for investigation by members of the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU).
“No arrests have been effected yet. The ages of the deceased persons are between 24 and 55,” Potelwa said.
This shooting comes on the back of another mass shooting where five people were shot and killed and five others injured while heading back home to Atlantis from Silverstream Beach along the Old Mamre Road on Wednesday.
Western Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile has ordered AGU detectives to spare no resources in getting to the perpetrators of the two mass shootings.
Police confirmed both shooting incidents are believed to be gang-related.
Footage of the scene has been shared on social media platforms; the dwelling where the victims were lying is covered in blood. A woman’s body is seen lying in the doorway while two other victims are lying on a bed, all lifeless.
Outside of the dwelling, an unknown man who was still breathing, could be seen lying in the street in excruciating pain.
Sub-council Chairperson, Angus McKenzie said these murders are part of an ongoing and ever increasing gang war currently taking place in the Bishop Lavis and Valhalla Park areas.
“These two areas have, on a daily basis, been affected by shootings and murder. I want to thank SAPS management for immediately stepping in by increasing police availability and resources to address the gang problems in the areas.
“I have requested that every possible resource be provided to bring peace to these communities. Law-abiding citizens should never need to live in such fear. These ongoing shootings also place huge pressure on basic service to be delivered to the area,” McKenzie said.
He said the sub-council is committed to supporting any intervention that will end this war.
“The gang war must end, and it must end now, and all those individuals involved in fighting for territory must be caught and placed behind bars. We are appealing to members of the public to work with us and provide us with the necessary information to ensure we end this madness now,” McKenzie said.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
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