Pretoria – The provincial commissioner of police in Gauteng, Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela, has condemned an incident in which 14 people were killed during a “random shooting” at a tavern in Nomzamo informal settlement in Orlando East.
“Police are on the look-out for unknown suspects following an apparent random shooting incident at a local tavern in Nomzamo informal settlement, Orlando East,” Gauteng police said in a statement.
“It is reported that at about 12.30am (today), a group of men armed with rifles and 9mm pistols entered the tavern and started shooting randomly at the patrons who were sitting inside.”
Twenty-three people were shot. Twelve of them were declared dead on the scene, while 11 victims were rushed to a nearby hospital.
Two more victims were later declared dead at the hospital.
Police in Gauteng have opened 14 cases of murder and nine of attempted murder.
Meanwhile, Gauteng police chief Mawela has urged a team of detectives led by deputy provincial commissioner responsible for crime detection, Major-General Mbuso Khumalo, “to pull out all the stops in ensuring that the perpetrators are arrested and brought to book”.
Police said anyone who may have witnessed the incident or have information that could lead to the apprehension of the suspects is urged to report on the Crime Stop hotline at 08600 10111 or by tip-off on the My SAPS app. All information received will be treated as strictly confidential.
IOL