7 dead in 1 day
|Published
TENSE: Philippi-East residents have been rocked by shootings TENSE: Philippi-East residents have been rocked by shootings
A team of specialist detectives has been deployed to investigate a bloodbath in Phillippi, after seven people were shot dead in just one day.
According to police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa, the detectives that deal with serious and violent crimes are probing two shooting incidents that occurred in Phillippi-East within the Nyanga Cluster on Tuesday.
She said the team is currently interviewing several individuals about the shootings who saw seven people, including a man who shot at cops, being killed.
Potelwa said on Tuesday afternoon, cops on patrol stumbled upon a shooting involving people in two Toyota Avanzas in Thekwane Road, Lower Crossroads.
“One gunman had just shot and killed a 19-year-old man and upon seeing the police, the gunman fired several shots at the police, who returned fire and shot the suspect who died on the scene,” she said.
She said in another incident the same night, police were called to Block 4 where four men were found dead in a house.
Two injured people were rushed to hospital where one passed away.
They had all been shot.
“Information gathered on the scene suggests that seven armed men stormed the dwelling at about 6.30pm and started firing randomly at the occupants,” said Potelwa.
She said while the motives behind the shootings are not clear yet, police are investigating the possibility that the incidents could be linked.
Western Cape Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General Yolisa Matakata condemned the violence and said detectives are working around the clock to solve the cases: “The resources assigned to these investigations are expected to give us arrests and much needed answers to these heinous acts”.
CONDEMNED: Yolisa Matakata
Ward 35 councillour Mboniswa Chitha said the bloodbath has put residents already worried about their safety further on edge.
According to Chitha, the incidents could be gang-related.
He said he’s been trying for a long time to meet with gang members in his ward to resolve their issues, but has been unsuccessful thus far.
Police urged anyone who has information about the shootings to call Crimestop on
or send a tip-off via the MySAPS mobile app.