Mass shooting in Orange Farm leaves seven dead, including three-year-old boy

In a shocking incident that unfolded during the early hours of Sunday morning, the Orange Farm community in Gauteng was rocked by a mass shooting that claimed seven lives, including that of a three-year-old boy.

The tragedy, which occurred at the Mokokotlong informal settlement, stemmed from an altercation at a local tavern and ended with the suspect taking his own life.

According to police reports, the chain of events began when a man visited a local tavern to purchase alcohol, only to find it closed.

An argument ensued between the customer and the tavern owner.

The customer then returned home, where his family celebrated after lobola negotiations.

In a turn of events, the tavern owner allegedly followed the customer to his residence.

” The tavern owner entered the house and opened fire on the family members,” said Brigadier Brenda Muridili.

Muridili confirmed that the shooting resulted in seven fatalities, including five family members, a neighbour and a friend.

Four individuals survived the attack. Two of the survivors, a 31-year-old and a one-year-old boy, sustained injuries and were rushed to the hospital to receive medical care.

A 24-year-old woman and a four-year-old child escaped the ordeal without physical harm.

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Suspect’s fate

Following the shooting, the suspect reportedly drove to his home in Evaton, where he turned the gun on himself.

“He was rushed to [Sebokeng] hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival,” the police reported.

The Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit has launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident.

They have registered seven counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, and an inquest.

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Eyewitness account: ‘I heard screams’

News24 reported an eyewitness account from a man identifying himself as Bongani.

He provided crucial details about the events leading up to the shooting:

“The tavern owner refused to give him his change and another beer. The victim, who was accompanied by another relative then left the tavern. I accompanied them back home. As we were about to enter the victims’ yard, the [suspect] parked his car outside the yard. He jumped out of the car carrying a gun and ran into the victims’ yard. I ran and stopped about 20 metres away,” Bongani recounted.

Bongani claimed to have heard more than 10 gunshots, followed by screams from children, women, and men.

Upon returning to the scene, he discovered seven people dead, including the three-year-old boy.

According to the eyewitness, some victims had sustained bullet wounds to the head.

Bongani also noted that a one-year-old child with a gunshot wound to the stomach was rushed to the hospital.

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Aftermath and community response

In the wake of the tragedy, police experts were dispatched to the scene on Sunday morning to gather evidence and piece together the morning’s events.

The community’s response to the incident was one of anger and shock.

In a retaliatory act, some residents looted the tavern owned by the suspect. Despite attempts by the police to intervene, the residents were undeterred in their actions.