At least nine people were killed when gunmen opened fire in a township near Johannesburg, South Africa early Sunday, police officials said.
“Some victims were shot at random on the streets by unknown gunmen,” a police statement said. Officials told French news agency AFP that the motive for the shooting was still unknown.
Police initially said 10 people were killed, but later revised the death toll. At least 10 others were injured and taken to hospital.
What do we know so far?
The shooting occurred at around 1am (23:00 GMT) near a local bar in Bekkersdal. About 40 kilometers (25 mi) south-west of Johannesburg, Bekkersdal is a poor area close to some of South Africa’s major gold mines.
A police statement said an estimated 12 attackers in a white minibus and a silver sedan “opened fire on tavern patrons and continued firing randomly while fleeing the scene.”
Police officials have started searching for the attackers.
Despite relatively strict ownership laws, a large number of illegal guns remain in circulation in South Africa.
According to police data, an average of 63 people were killed every day between April and September. A large number of deaths were related to organized crime and gang violence.
Edited by: Rana Taha