City under siege: Yet another mass shooting in Cape Town, four dead

The City of Cape Town has come under siege after yet another deadly mass shooting.

The incident which happened in Kraaifontein on Sunday morning comes less than a week after a mass shooting in the same area.

Shooting

Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said officers are scouring the shooting scenes in Kraaifontein after three incidents

“Four people have been killed in three separate incidents in Wallacedene, Kraaifontein, in the early hours of Sunday morning. Police crime scene experts are still on the scene. Further details will be shared once confirmed.”

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Kraaifontein

Earlier this week, Cape Town police made a breakthrough and arrested a 49-year-old suspect who killed six people, including four women, in separate shooting incidents in Kraaifontein on Tuesday.

The Western Cape police announced on Wednesday that they were on the hunt for suspects linked to three double murders in separate incidents.

At around 11:30pm, two women aged 19 and 15 were shot and fatally wounded, while a third – a 24-year-old – was shot and injured in Molefe Street, Wallacedene.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said when police officers arrived at the crime scene, they found the victims with gunshot wounds to their bodies.

“The 19- and 25-year-old victims were declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel, while the 24-year-old victim was taken to a medical facility for treatment,” Twigg said.

Shootings

In another incident, at around 11:40pm in Taleman Street, Wallacedene, gunmen shot and killed two women in their twenties.

Twigg said the police responded to a complaint of a shooting, and upon arrival at the scene, they found the victims inside a bedroom with gunshot wounds to their heads. The victims were declared dead on the scene.

“The possibility that these incidents are linked is not ruled out,” he said.

Another unrelated shooting happened at about 9:50pm on the corner of 9th Avenue and Verster Street, Eikendal. The police responded to the incident and found the bodies of two victims, aged 20 and 22, with gunshot wounds.

Medical personnel declared both victims dead at the scene. Twigg said the motives of the attacks formed part of the police investigation.

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Mfuleni shooting

On Friday, three men were shot and killed in Ekopoleni, Happy Valley, Mfuleni at just before 11pm.

Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said the three men, aged between 24 and 27, were fatally wounded.

Traut said a fourth victim, aged 18, sustained injuries and was admitted to the hospital for treatment.

“At approximately 22:41, a lone gunman opened fire on the victims before being picked up by the driver of an Isuzu bakkie. They are yet to be arrested.

“While detectives are pursuing all leads, operational members have been deployed in the area to maintain stability. At this stage, the motive for the shooting is believed to be gang-related,” Traut said.

Cachalia warns gangs

Last week, acting police minister Feroz Cachalia said the state needs to use all available resources to confront the issue of gangs in the Western Cape, especially at court buildings across the city.

Speaking to the media after meeting senior police officials in the Western Cape, where the rise in gang-related killings has come to light, Cachalia said police must take action.

“It’s to deal with what is an evolving crime pattern. My view is that it’s not just old-style gang violence. I think this is organised crime, and the State needs to use all its available resources to confront this problem,” Cachalia said.