Eight people were killed and three injured in a mass shooting in Gqeberha on Sunday evening.
PHOTO: Darren Stewart, Gallo Images
Eight people were killed and three injured in a mass shooting at a house party in KwaZakhele, Gqeberha, on Sunday evening.
Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said preliminary investigations revealed that a homeowner was celebrating his birthday when two unknown gunmen entered the yard in Makanda Street between 17:15 and 17:30 and started shooting at the guests.
Seven people – three women and four men died on the scene. Four others – two women and two men – sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to hospital.
“One of the victims succumbed to their injuries in hospital, bringing the total number of deceased to eight. The owner of the house was among the deceased,” Naidu said.
According to Naidu, police have launched a manhunt for the shooters and no arrests have been made.
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Cases of murder and attempted murder have been opened, and police are yet to identify the victims.
Eastern Cape police commissioner Lieutenant General Nomthetheleli Mene described the attack as “cowardice and a blatant disregard for human life”.
Mene has ordered a team of investigators to track and trace the perpetrators.
Mene said:
These victims were killed by criminals, and we will not rest until we find out what happened and who was responsible for [this] callous and cold-blooded attack on these unsuspecting victims.