A man has been killed and another injured in a shooting attack on their car near Johnston Road Muslim Cemetery in Athlone.
The deceased, who was driving when he came under fire, crashed into a mourner’s car which was parked outside the graveyard.
Both the slain 36-year-old driver and wounded 35-year-old passenger had been shot in the head by unknown attackers.
A witness says he was at the cemetery taps on Monday afternoon when he heard three gunshots and that the occupants of a white Toyota Rav 4 had been hit.
“I was visiting my relative’s grave with my sister and then we heard gunshots,” he explains.
“I saw the victim’s car speeding and then it went over the pavement and hit my sister’s car.
“I noticed there was a red VW Golf, the MK1, which slowly drove away after the deceased’s car came to a halt.”
The Mitchells Plain man says they were stuck at the crime scene.
“We were only visiting the grave, we didn’t think we would stay longer because of the shooting incident.”
When the Daily Voice arrived at the scene, about 20 family members of the deceased were present.
A woman dressed in orange wailed uncontrollably and fell to the ground.
Cops had to bar many of them from seeing the body in the Toyota.
Paramedics transported the wounded passenger to hospital for medical assistance.
Police spokesman Wesley Twigg says the circumstances surrounding a shooting incident on Monday at about 2.30pm in Johnston Road in Athlone where a 36-year-old male was shot and fatally wounded and a 35-year-old male was shot and wounded are under investigation.
“Cases of murder and attempted murder were opened for investigation.
“Athlone police attended to a complaint of a shooting and upon arrival on the scene, they found the victims with gunshot wounds to their heads,” he explains.
“The 36-year-old victim was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel.
“The other victim was taken to a medical facility for treatment.
“The unknown suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested.”
Anyone with any information about the shooting incident can contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.