By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Three people, including one university student, were killed, and one student was rushed to the hospital after a shooting outside a student accommodation building in Braamfontein.
Two men were shot dead while sitting in a stationary car, while a stray bullet killed a student.
Another student was shot and injured.
JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla says, “Preliminary investigations indicate that unknown gunmen opened fire at a BMW sedan. Two male occupants were shot, and two pedestrians were caught in the gunfire.
“A total of four people were shot, with three sustaining fatal injuries and one sustaining a serious injury. The two pedestrians shot were students who were passing by.”
The motive for the shooting is not known and the identities of the deceased are yet to be verified.
No one has been arrested.
Anyone who may have information that can assist with the investigation or tracing of the suspects is requested to contact the Crime Stop Line at 08600 10111 or report anonymous tip-offs on MySapsApp.
Wits University issued a statement saying they were made aware of the incident, possibly related to the taxi industry, which took place but confirmed that no Wits student or staff were injured.
However University of Johannesburg has confirmed that it was their students who were injured and killed in a shooting.
In a statement, UJ said: “The two were among the students who were travelling in a bus from the university to their place residence in the Johannesburg city centre. The deceased, an 18-year-old male, was a second-year student”.
Videos of the aftermath have been circulating on social media, with one on X showing students crying as they left the bus, shortly after the shooting.
Between July and September last year an average of 34 people were shot dead every day in South Africa, according to police crime statistics.