Seventeen people were killed in a mass shooting in a small town in South Africa, and the police have launched a manhunt to catch those responsible. According to police, the attack happened in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape, where two homes were targeted.
In one home, 12 women and one man were killed, while in another, three women and one man died. An 18th victim is in the hospital in critical condition, as stated by the South African Police Service.
The South African media, including BBC News, reported that the victims were relatives and neighbors from Nyathi village in Lusikisiki.
They were preparing to attend a traditional mourning ceremony for a mother and daughter who were murdered a year ago. The group had been packing goods for the event when the gunmen struck on Friday night.
BBC News quoted local mayor Nonkosi Pepping, who said, “The attackers fired randomly, and now the community is living in fear.”
A police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, told Newzroom Afrika that 19 people were in the homes at the time. Six people, including a two-month-old baby, survived, but one home had no survivors.
Authorities have not yet figured out why the attack happened, and no arrests have been made so far.
BBC News explained that a team of detectives and experts from Pretoria is working hard to collect evidence and find those behind this terrible crime.
Community safety official Xolile Nqatha expressed hope that the man in critical condition will recover soon because he might provide valuable information about the shooting. Nqatha also hinted that the attackers might have known the victims.
South Africa has one of the highest murder rates globally, with more than 27,000 murders reported in 2022.
BBC News highlighted that the country’s murder rate is 45 people per 100,000, much higher than the US, which is around six per 100,000.
Credit : BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx25vperv9go