Mass shooting in Wesbank leaves four dead and a child injured
A mass shooting in Wesbank has claimed four lives and injured a seven-year-old child, prompting a police investigation into escalating gang violence.
Image: File
Police in the Western Cape are investigating a mass shooting that occurred on Saturday night in Wesbank, Blue Downs, leaving four people dead and a seven-year-old child injured.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has deployed specialised units to track down the attackers, who are believed to be connected to ongoing gang violence in the area.
The incident took place at about 8pm in Strandveld Street.
The provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Andrè Traut, said four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder are currently being investigated.
“At approximately 8pm, SAPS members responded to a complaint in Strandveld Street in Wesbank, where they discovered three adult females and one adult male, aged between 32 and 39, with gunshot wounds. The victims were declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel. An injured seven-year-old child was transported to a nearby medical facility for treatment,” Traut said.
This attack is the latest in a series of mass shootings plaguing the Cape Flats area. Local community policing forums (CPFs) have repeatedly called for increased police visibility and a harsher crackdown on illegal firearms to combat escalating gang warfare in the region.
Police said its preliminary investigation has suggested that the incident may be gang-related.
“The circumstances surrounding the shooting are currently under investigation by the Serious and Violent Crime Unit, and no arrests have been made at this stage,” Traut said.
Police urge anyone with information that could assist the investigation to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or alternatively use the MySAPS mobile application anonymously.