- 11 people have died, with three injured, after a mass shooting at a house party in South Africa on Tuesday, Sept. 22
- 10 people, including a pregnant woman, died at the scene after three men opened fire, with another dying on their way to the hospital
- Police have launched a manhunt and have not ruled out gang-related motives
Police in South Africa have launched a manhunt after 11 people were killed and three were injured in a mass shooting.
Authorities believe the incident took place during a house party in the Ziko area of the KwaMakhutha township, near the city of Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal province, on Tuesday, Sept. 22, according to a South African Police Service
13 men and one woman, believed to be pregnant, were inside the house when three men arrived and opened fire, police claimed. A car belonging to one of the victims was also set on fire, local news network reported.
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10 people, including the woman, died at the scene, with the other four taken to a hospital. One of the four died on the way there, per eNCA.
A neighbor told the network that he knew those who died and described the shooting as “shocking and sad,” sharing that the victims were in their mid-30s.
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“These are guys I grew up with. I can’t believe it. It’s like a movie,” he told the outlet. “Their families are distraught, as you can see. I’ve been staying here all my life, and I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Initial investigations have found that some of the victims were on the radar of the police’s Crime Intelligence division in connection with illegal activities, police said.
The motive for the shooting has not been confirmed, but police haven’t ruled out a feud between rival gangs.
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According to the the Acting National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, Lieutenant General Puleng Puleng Dimpane, has directed the police in KwaZulu-Natal to activate a 72-hour tracking operation.
“There is no place in our communities for the senseless taking of human lives. Police must act decisively, mobilise all available resources and pursue those responsible until they are brought before the courts,” she said.
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“We are confident that investigators are following a promising lead which could assist in securing a breakthrough in this case.”
PEOPLE reached out to the South African Police Service for comment but did not immediately hear back.
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