Update:
Efforts from a multidisciplinary SAPS tracing team have resulted in the arrest of three suspects connected to the tragic mass shooting that occurred in Bishop Lavis on Thursday evening, reports Cape {town} Etc.
This comes after it was confirmed that one of the two victims left wounded by the incident died in hospital on Friday morning. The 25-year-old woman sustained serious head injuries.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa confirmed that a firearm was also confiscated during the tracing operation.
‘The suspects [aged 17, 24 and 29] are facing murder, attempted murder and possession of unlicensed firearm charges,’ said Potelwa. ‘They are scheduled to appear in court on Monday.’
According to SAPS, the mass shooting is believed to be gang-related. Bishop Lavis Community Policing Forum spokesperson Graham Lindhorst told News24 that while the exact motive remains unknown, the incident is most likely attributed to the surge in gang violence following the murder of alleged Terrible Josters gang leader Peter Jaggers.
‘On a preventative front, additional deployments that were assigned last night to Bishop Lavis, will remain in the area in efforts to stabilise the area. They will conduct patrols, high density operations and raids,’ added Potelwa.
‘Meanwhile, investigations into another mass shooting in Atlantis continue. No arrests have been effected yet.’
Another mass shooting in Cape Town left six people dead and two others injured, resulting in yet another SAPS manhunt in the province, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Also read: CoCT pays R1 million reward following murder of City staffer
This is the second mass shooting in the city this week and the third in South Africa in three days.
In a statement, SAPS spokesperson, Brigadier Novela Potelwa, said that Western Cape police have reinforced deployments in the Bishop Lavis area following this most recent incident where four men and two women were shot and killed on Thursday evening.
‘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 was transported to a medical facility for treatment.’
‘Murder and attempted murder dockets were opened for investigation with Anti-Gang Unit detectives investigating the cases. No arrests have been effected yet. The ages of the deceased persons are between 24 and 55.’
The Bishop Lavis shooting incident happened on the back of another shooting where five people were shot and killed in Atlantis early on Wednesday evening.
‘Western Cape provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile has ordered that Anti-Gang Unit detectives spare no resources in getting to the perpetrators of the two heinous acts. Both shooting incidents are believed to be gang related.’
Following the shooting in Atlantis, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, called for urgent police reinforcements in the area, adding that police in the area were not equipped to respond adequately.
‘Violence has been escalating for weeks and despite requests for support, limited real proactive police operations launched to support the community,’ he said. ‘The local station is simply not equipped and resourced to deal with this alone.’
These two shootings come after five victims were shot and killed in New Brighton, Gqeberha on Tuesday where the suspect was fatally wounded following a shootout with police.
Police believe the deceased was the sole suspect in the mass shooting.
Also read:
Manhunt underway after Atlantis mass shooting leaves five dead
Picture: Ian Cameron / Facebook
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