At least five people have been killed and another seriously injured after armed assailants stormed a house in Gugulethu, Cape Town, South Africa, in a deadly overnight attack.
The shooting, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, July 27, has triggered a murder investigation by the South African Police Service (SAPS), as detectives intensify efforts to track down the attackers.
In a statement, SAPS said detectives attached to the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit had launched investigations into five counts of murder and one count of attempted murder following the incident.
“SAPS Detectives attached to the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit are investigating a multiple murder and an attempted murder following a shooting incident in NY 50, Gugulethu, during the early hours of Monday, 27/07, in which five people lost their lives and another was injured,” the statement said.
Police disclosed that four men and one woman, aged between 19 and 23, were pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel.
A 20-year-old woman who sustained gunshot wounds during the attack was rescued and rushed to a medical facility, where she is receiving treatment.
“Four men and one woman, aged between 19 and 23, were declared deceased at the scene by medical personnel. A 20-year-old woman who sustained gunshot wounds was transported to a medical facility for treatment,” SAPS added.
Preliminary investigations revealed that two unidentified gunmen allegedly forced their way into the residence after kicking down the front door.
According to police, the suspects demanded a firearm before opening fire indiscriminately on the occupants of the house. They fled immediately after the attack and remain at large.
Authorities said the motive behind the killings has yet to be established.
Reacting to the incident, the Acting Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape, Major General Luyanda Damoyi, strongly condemned the attack and directed investigators to pursue every available lead to ensure those responsible are arrested and prosecuted.
Police have appealed to members of the public with useful information to assist ongoing investigations as efforts continue to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deadly shooting.
