By Mark Ogagan
South African police confirmed that three people, including a teenager, were arrested on Friday for the Bishop Lavis massacre.
Six people were shot and killed on Thursday evening. Within hours on Friday, the death toll climbed to seven after a 26-year-old woman who sustained serious head injuries succumbed to her injuries.
During a media briefing, Western Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile (Pictured), confirmed the arrests.
“I am happy to say three people were arrested now. We are confident they will answer for this in court. Three men, a 17-year-old, 24-year-old, and 29-year-old were arrested. A 9mm pistol was also confiscated which will be taken to forensics for ballistic testing and touch DNA,” Patekile said.
The suspects were arrested in the Bishop Lavis area.
The trio are expected to appear in the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court on Monday, October 28.
He said additional forces have also been deployed to the area to ensure the safety of residents.
“Police reports from the scene indicate that at approximately 8.40pm an armed suspect entered an informal dwelling in Kogelberg Street and fired several shots at the occupants. Six people were fatally wounded while two others were wounded. The injured pair were transported to a medical facility for treatment,” Western Cape police spokesperson, Brigadier Potelwa said.
The ages of the deceased persons are between 24 and 55.
This shooting comes on the back of another mass shooting where five people were shot and killed and five others injured while heading back home to Atlantis from Silverstream Beach along the Old Mamre Road on Wednesday.
Patekile said police have not made any inroads in the Atlantis incident as yet.
“We continue to request the community to assist us to find those that are responsible for this shooting,” he said.
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