A teenager with mental disabilities was killed while his friend was left paralysed after they were ambushed.
Ashwin Brown, 17, was at a shop buying bread when three alleged skollies attacked them on Tuesday at Kampies informal settlement near Philippi police station.
His heartbroken aunt Melanie Hendricks says: “A neighbour sent him to the shop with his friends and as they were standing there the known suspects started shooting at the shop as they passed them.
“One boy was shot in the spine and has now been left paralysed.
“And Ashwin tried to get away but they shot him, he fell on the ground and died on the spot.”
She says Ashwin had the mental capacity of a 12-year-old boy.
The hartseer aunt explains: “He grew up a normal child but when his mother passed away four years ago, his life turned around for the worst, he stopped talking like a normal child.
“Even at school, he was told to apply at Batavia School of Skills.
“While he was attending there his father died of a broken heart, that was two years ago. His condition then took a turn for the worse, he didn’t go to school anymore.
“He hardly spoke and even when hungry. he would never say.
“I would have to think that he might be hungry and tell him to make himself something to eat.
“He had young friends, at 17, he had friends who were 11 and 12. He was never a gangster and I am heartbroken because I would have understood if he was a troublemaker but he wasn’t.”
Melanie says after the shooting she told the community members to stand up against gangsterism.
She adds: “How many other innocent children have to die before people stand up? We are not going to save lives if we are quiet about this violence.”
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk says police visibility has been increased in and around Kampies informal settlement.
He says they are doing regular stops and searches while crime intelligence driven operations are set to be executed.
He says the teenagers were attacked at 11.30am by two unknown men who fled the scene on foot and are still at large.
Van Wyk reports: “The first male, aged 17, was fatally shot. He sustained gunshot wounds to his body.
“The second male, aged 17, sustained gunshot wounds to his body and was taken to hospital for treatment.
‘Police are investigating a case of murder and a case of attempted murder. The motive for the incident is yet to be determined. The fact that the incident may be gang related can not be ruled out.“
Anyone with information is surged to contact the investigating officer Detective Sergeant Temvelani Mnyaluza at 021 690 15416 or at 082 469 6534.