A tavern owner who killed seven people in a mass shooting incident in Gauteng turned the gun on himself.
The shooting incident, which took place during the early hours of Sunday, October 13, in the Mokokotlong informal settlement is being investigated by police in Orange Farms.
The provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Brenda Muridili said the incident stemmed after one of the victims went to the local tavern to buy alcohol but he found that it was already closed.
“He [the victim] had an altercation with the tavern owner and went back home. It is alleged that the tavern owner followed him home where the family members were still celebrating after lobola negotiations. The tavern owner entered the house and opened fire on the family members.
“He shot and killed seven people including a three-year-old boy (five family members, a neighbour, and a friend). Four people survived the shooting, two of them, a 31-year-old and a one-year-old boy were taken to hospital with injuries while a 24-year-old woman and a four-year-old did not have injuries,” Muridili said.
Police said the tavern owner then drove back to his home in Evaton where he then turned the gun on himself and shot himself. He was rushed to the hospital but died on arrival.
“The Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit has registered seven counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, and an inquest,” Muridili said.
In a separate incident in the Eastern Cape, police are searching for a robbery and extortion suspect who managed to evade arrest on Friday, October 11, during a shootout in Ngqeleni.
At about 11.20pm, members of the Public Order Policing (POP) acted on information about two robbery and extortion suspects who were allegedly causing mayhem in the Canzibe area in Ngqeleni.
The suspects were traced and located outside one of the local taverns. It is further alleged that when the suspects spotted the police, they started shooting at them. Police retaliated by returning fire.
One of the suspects, a 35-year-old man was shot and killed during the shootout. Police managed to recover a 9mm Norinco pistol with ammunition.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
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