By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
SA Police Services (SAPS) have launched a manhunt after a shooting spree that left three men dead and two injured at a home in Gugulethu, Cape Town.
According to the Police’s Andre Traut, preliminary information indicates that four armed suspects opened fire on the victims before fleeing the scene with several cellphones and a firearm belonging to one of the victims. All five victims are believed to be in their thirties.
“Upon arrival at the scene, officers discovered the bodies of three men with gunshot wounds in a bedroom. Two other male victims had also sustained gunshot wounds and were already transported to a medical facility for treatment,” Traut said.
The motive for the attack is still under investigation.
The Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit is urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or to use the MySAPS mobile application, where information can be submitted anonymously.
This mass murder in Gugulethu is the latest in a string of shootings reported over last week.
At the weekend, four people were shot and killed in Bishop Lavis, and in Philippi East on Tuesday night, a 6-year-old boy was killed in a suspected house robbery, which also left two others wounded.
The Western Cape Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, condemned the incident and said detectives from the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit were pursuing those responsible.
“The proliferation of illegal firearms and ammunition remains a big contributor to horrific crimes like this,” Marais said.
“I urge the community to support the South African Police Service in their investigation and report any information that may lead to the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.”