- Two mass shootings in Lusikisiki, South Africa, left 17 dead, including 15 women.
- Police launched a manhunt for the suspects involved in the attacks.
- Four women, one man, and a baby survived the shootings.
- Authorities deployed detectives and forensic experts to investigate the case.
Seventeen people, including 15 women, were tragically killed in two mass shootings that occurred in close proximity to each other in Lusikisiki, a rural town in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province. According to police, the shootings happened late Friday night and involved two separate houses within the same neighborhood, which consists of rural homesteads on the outskirts of the town.
Police spokesperson Brig. Athlenda Mathe confirmed the deaths, noting that 12 women and one man were shot and killed in one house, while three women and another man were killed in the second location. In addition, one other person remains in critical condition at the hospital. Four individuals, including one man and a two-month-old baby, survived the attacks.
In response to the shocking violence, a manhunt has been initiated to locate and apprehend the suspects responsible for these brutal killings. Mathe emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, “A manhunt has been launched to apprehend those behind these heinous killings.”
Local media reports indicate that the victims were gathered for a family event at the time of the shootings, but the motive for the attacks remains unclear. Authorities are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the incidents.
South Africa’s police minister, Senzo Mchunu, held a media briefing on Saturday, announcing that a specialized team of detectives and forensic experts has been assigned to the case. He expressed confidence in their ability to solve the case, stating, “We have full faith and confidence in the team that has been deployed to crack this case and find these criminals. Either they hand themselves over, or we will fetch them ourselves.”
South Africa, a nation with a population of 62 million, has reported alarming statistics regarding violent crime, with 12,734 homicides recorded in the first half of this year. This staggering figure translates to an average of more than 70 murders per day, highlighting a troubling trend in the country’s safety. The primary cause of these fatalities is firearms, which are involved in the majority of homicide cases.
In recent years, mass shootings have become increasingly prevalent, with incidents sometimes occurring within the safety of people’s homes. One of the most tragic examples occurred in April 2023, when ten members of the same family, including seven women and a 13-year-old boy, were killed in a mass shooting at their residence in the neighboring KwaZulu-Natal province.
While South Africa has relatively strict firearm laws aimed at regulating gun ownership, authorities have consistently pointed to the widespread presence of illegal, unregistered firearms as a significant contributing factor to the country’s high homicide rates. The challenges of controlling illegal gun ownership continue to complicate efforts to improve public safety and reduce violent crime in the region.
