ALBERTON – POLICE in Alberton are investigating three cases of attempted murder following a shooting incident at the Deep in the Woods festival on Saturday, October 4.
According to a police statement issued by Lieutenant Colonel Dlamini, the incident occurred after 16:00 on Saturday. Allegedly two men had an argument at the festival.
One of them pulled a pistol and started shooting at the other. According to reports the suspect entered the venue with a friend, and a 9mm pistol which remained undetected in her handbag.
The suspect was wounded and disarmed by a reservist, who was working undercover at the event. The reservist formed part of the event security.
The suspect, the person he had an argument with and two bystanders were shot. ”Three people including the suspect have been described as being in a critical condition in the hospital,” Lieutenant Colonel Dlamini added in a press statement released over the weekend.
A fourth person was also caught in the crossfire, Ariella Cameron. She was hit in the shoulder; but luckily the bullet went through her shoulder.
She was treated and discharged on Saturday evening.
“It would have been a great event if it was better organised,” Ariella told the RECORD.
“We were a group of eight or 10 people, and none of us were searched when we went in,” she added when asked about the security.
The suspect was immediately put under police guard. He will be facing charges for three cases of attempted murder, and the 9mm pistol has been seized by police.
The two-day music festival hosted local and international DJs and took place on the Meyers Farm.
“Security was a priority right from the start. There were more than 20 security enforcers at the event, and it is unfortunate that this happened. The incident is under investigation and we are working with the SAPS in any way we can,” the organisers of the event commented.
A comment taken from their Deep in the Woods Facebook site stated that: “It is not the organiser’s fault or whoever else was involved in the event, that this (the shooting) happened. Yes, security was lax and yes, it happened at their event, but people saying that they only care about their profits are wrong. They are probably more concerned than most people today. The blame should fall entirely on the suspect and no one else.”
