Seventeen people, including 15 women, were tragically killed in two mass shootings on Friday night in Lusikisiki, a rural town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The shootings occurred at two houses situated in the same neighborhood, leading to a shocking loss of life in this close-knit community.
Details of the Incident
According to police spokesperson Brig. Athlenda Mathe, the victims comprised 15 women and two men, with an additional individual currently in critical condition at a local hospital. Video footage released by the authorities indicates that the violence erupted in two separate homes, where twelve women and one man were shot at one location, while three women and another man lost their lives at the second residence.
“A manhunt has been launched to apprehend those behind these heinous killings,” Mathe stated, emphasizing the urgency of the investigation. As of now, police have not disclosed any details regarding potential motives for the shootings.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates globally, and mass shootings have increasingly become a troubling trend in recent years. This incident follows a similar tragedy in April, where ten members of the same family, including seven women and a 13-year-old boy, were killed in a mass shooting at their home in the neighboring KwaZulu-Natal province.