Mass Hillbrow Theatre shooting was truly senseless

As South Africans, we live in a violent society where the value of life is all too often measured against that of a car, a cellphone or even a few rand in your pocket. But as violent as crime can be, there is often an underlying motive for it – such as economic gain.

Knowing what criminals are after can make it easier to guard against becoming a victim. Don’t drive around with valuables in plain sight, for example, and don’t linger near known hijacking hotspots. However, nothing is quite as frightening as a senseless crime, such as a mass shooting.

There is no guarding against it, as it’s often just the product of a deranged mind with easy access to firearms. It can happen at any time, any place. Fortunately, crazed gunmen opening fire in schools, nightclubs or even churches are not particularly prevalent in South Africa.

In the US, however, this kind of thing is almost endemic. That country mourned its 153rd mass shooting of the year in June, and recorded 384 such incidents in 2016.

Tragically, a mass shooting occurred at the Hillbrow Theatre yesterday morning, when an armed man jumped on stage and shot at the crowd during a concert, killing one and injuring seven others.

No matter how rare, even one such senseless act is one too many. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.