Three in-laws shot dead, wife critical after dispute with husband

A man from Mpumalanga was charged with three counts of murder and attempted murder of his marital family after he handed himself in to the Ermelo police.

The 42-year-old man visited his in-laws with his wife at Kanana in Mzinoni on Saturday, 9 April.

According to the police (Saps), the man and his wife got into a heated argument. During the dispute the husband pulled out his pistol and fired at his wife and in-laws.

His father in-law, brother in-law and sister in-law succumbed to their gunshot wounds.

The wife survived the shooting and is currently in a critical condition in hospital.

“The preliminary investigation suggests that the suspect and his wife were having some marital challenges which might have fuelled the situation,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.

The man later handed himself over to the police. His gun and ammunition were seized.  

“The man was charged with three counts of murder as well as an additional charge of attempted murder,” said Mohlala.

Man and woman dead in suspected murder-suicide in KZN

This comes after a shooting incident on 12 March in Hambanathi, KwaZulu-Natal.

It was reported by residents of Mabalengwe Road that they heard a female screaming, followed by sounds of gunshots being fired.

The Hambanathi community then alerted RUSA and law enforcements.

Upon their arrival, members of RUSA and Saps officials tried to get the couple’s attention when entering their rented room on Mabalengwe Road but the officials did not get any response from the couple.

The couple’s bodies were found lying lifeless on the ground, drenched in blood.

The male and female were located on the ground bleeding from gunshot wounds to their heads.

The man died on the scene; and the woman succumbed to her injuries upon arrival at the hospital.

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