At least 10 killed in shooting near Johannesburg in South Africa

At least 10 people were killed and another 10 injured after unidentified gunmen opened fire in a village on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South African police said. Emergency services and law enforcement officials responded to the scene, where multiple victims were found with gunshot wounds.

According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the shooting took place at the KwaNoxolo Tavern in the Tambo section of Bekkersdal in West Rand. Mathe said that in addition to those targeted at the tavern, some of the victims were shot at random while they were on the street by unidentified gunmen.

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Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation into the incident. Gauteng Acting Police Commissioner Fred Kekana said, “We are still busy obtaining statements. Our national crime and management team has arrived.”

He added that multiple specialised units had been deployed to the scene. “The provincial crime scene management team has arrived, and a team from the local criminal record centre is here, so is our serious crime investigating team, crime intelligence, and the provincial crime detective team is on scene,” he said.

Police said the motive behind the attack remains unclear, and the suspect has not yet been identified.

There have been multiple mass shootings in the country in last few years. This shooting act marks the second such incident reported in South Africa this month. On 06 December, twelve people were killed after gunmen opened fire at a hostel in Pretoria.