South Africa: 14 killed, nine injured in mass shooting at nightclub
Jul 10, 2022
Johannesburg [South Africa], July 10 : At least 14 people were killed and nine others injured in a shooting at a bar in the South African township of Soweto on Sunday, local authorities said.
According to CNN, Gauteng Police said in a statement that the incident took place after midnight when a group of armed men with rifles and millimetre pistols entered the bar in the Nomzamo informal settlement near Johannesburg and started shooting randomly at the patrons.
Police said that around 23 people were shot in the incident out of which 12 died on the spot, while 11 suffered injuries. They were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment where two other people succumbed to their injuries.
Citing a South African news channel ENCA, CNN reported that Gauteng Police Commissioner Elias Mawela said, "It's a bad scene. When you see the bodies [that] are piled up, you can see that every one of those people was struggling to get out of the tavern."
Mawela told that the police are yet to find out the reason behind the shooting. They have opened investigations into 14 cases of murder and nine cases of attempted murder.
"I have no doubt that with the cooperation of the community here, we will be able to crack this case," Mawela added.
The police called on witnesses to come forward, saying the suspects were still on the run, CNN reported.
In another incident at a bar in Sweetwaters in Pietermaritzburg, four other people were killed on Saturday evening, police said.
The twin shooting comes as the country still mourns the deaths of 22 young people who were found dead at an East London nightclub in South Africa.
As per the local media reports, there were speculations that the patrons were either exposed to some form of poison or an incident resulted in a large number being injured and killed in a stampede.
The investigation into the case is underway.
