At a birthday party, in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province, two gunmen killed eight people and injured three others at the weekend before fleeing, the police said.
Officers have not yet divulged any details of the motive of the shooting on Sunday. The incident was similar to the mass gun attacks which shocked the nation last year. Last year in July, gunmen killed 19 people in different shootings within the time span of a few hours.
No arrests have been made by the police and have requested the people to share any information regarding the incident on Sunday.
Among the victims of Sunday’s shooting, five men and three women, aged between 20-64, have been identified.
Eastern Cape South African Police Service Commissioner, Nomthetheleli Lillian Mene said, “These victims were killed by criminals, and we will not rest until we find out what happened and who was responsible for (this) callous and cold-blooded attack on these unsuspecting victims”.
The police said that Sunday’s shooting was carried out by two gunmen in the afternoon at a house in Kwazakele, Gqeberha city. The police also said that the gunmen “randomly shot at guests” while they were dancing at the party.
Chinese Tys, a family member, said that her brothers Vusumzi and Andile Sishuba were celebrating Vusumzi’s 51st birthday when they were shot by the attackers.
She told the British news agency Reuters, “As the family, we are in a state of shock and disbelief.”
Out of the three injured people, one is discharged and the remaining two are still in the hospital.
“We know everybody is angry and would love that we respond quickly, but we request a little bit of space so that we do the work thoroughly”, Police Minister Bheki Cele told the reporters.
South Africa witnesses the world’s highest number of murders, with an estimated 20,000 people killed every year in a population of 60 million.
Though the country has 3 million registered guns, there are many which are unregistered, according to the campaign group Gun Free South Africa.
On Monday, Police Minister Bheki Cele paid a visit to the shooting site.
