[WATCH] Death and riots in Hanover Park: Dad gunned down as rival gangs open fire and set car alight while cops ‘watch’
TRAGIC: Shannon’s body in Surdown Walk. Picture: Monique Duval
A riot broke out in Hanover Park after rival gangs opened fire on each other and set a car alight allegedly in full view of bang cops.
Videos of the chaos have gone viral on social media as the Ghetto Kids and Americans gangs are embroiled in a bloody war over leadership.
On Monday, as angry residents prepared to march to Philippi Police Station to demand that police act to quell the violence, another innocent man was murdered.
Residents living in Surdown Walk say just an hour before the march was set to start, multiple shots rang out and they discovered the body of Shannon Jonas.
The 35-year-old father was walking home after going to the shop to buy coffee and sugar when members of the Americans gang opened fire on him, shooting him multiple times.
Aunty Melanie Nicholas, 42, says Shannon was known for skarreling in the area and did not deserve to die like a skollie.
“We couldn’t believe they shot him because we all know he skarrels and is not in any gang.
“We are in shock because he was very quiet and helpful and did not deserve to die like a gangster.”
Tears rolled at the scene as Shannon’s mother collapsed after cops showed her her son’s body.
During the march, Ebrahim Abrahams from the Community Police Forum said residents were forced to duck and dive during the riot as gangsters openly fired skote and pelted each other with stones as cops watched.
“About 50 Ghettos came over from Donegal Court and started shooting.
“The other gangs retaliated and there was widespread shootings and stone throwing,” he explained.
“The police stood on the outskirts and did nothing.
“We want to know from the police what their plan is and why did they just stand there and do nothing.”
Addressing the marchers, station commander Colonel Adriaan Saulse said detectives have been working with the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) to identify and build cases against the gunmen and promised that “arrests are imminent”.
He said that the majority of the shootings stemmed from the Ghetto Kids gang as they fight for control following the death of their leader in May last year.
“What happened on Saturday we will follow up on.
“It is a bit hectic in the backstreets so in the [past] three or four days it has been severe but I can promise you we are sitting with AGU for the investigations.
“We don’t want to take somebody to court and he is out the next,” said Saulse.