Suspects linked to KZN mass shooting arrested at ‘cooling off spot’

Five suspects linked to a mass shooting in the Nyezane area of KwaZulu-Natal have been arrested.

This brings the number of people arrested for the crime to six.

The men were nabbed on Monday, a day after the shooting.

Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said five people were shot and killed whilst the sixth one was shot and injured during the incident.

‘Cooling off spot’

“On Monday afternoon, a police operation led by Crime Intelligence uncovered the suspects’ cooling off spot at Acaciaville in Ladysmith. The intelligence was operationalised and five suspects were found hiding inside a room and were arrested.

“They were found in possession of two AK47 assault rifles with 115 rounds of ammunition, two pistols with 12 rounds of ammunition, and one .38 special revolver with one round of ammunition. One vehicle used as a getaway from the crime scene was also recovered,” Netshiunda said.

Netshiunda said the recovered firearms belonged to a man who was killed during the Sunday mass shooting.

“Investigations also led the police to a house at Ezakheni where another firearm was recovered. The recovered firearms will be taken for ballistic testing to ascertain if they are linked to other crime scenes in and around the province.

Five suspects linked to a mass shooting in Nyezane area in Amangwe KwaZulu-Natal have been arrested. The men were arrested on Monday, a day after the mass shooting. #KZN #MassShooting #Police @TheCitizen_News pic.twitter.com/3WRZmBtNW2

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Suspects

The five suspects, aged between 23 and 46 years old, will appear in the Ladysmith Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Thereafter they will be taken to Estcourt to face multiple charges of murder,” Netshiunda said.

A 28-year-old suspect was arrested on Sunday and will appear in the Estcourt Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on charges of murder.

“The arrested suspects are believed to have been involved in several stock theft and murder cases in the area of Amangwe and the surrounding.”

Shooting

In a separate incident, a woman was killed in what is believed to be an apparent hit in KZN

IPSS Medical Rescue and IPSS Search & Rescue responded to reports of the shooting on the R102 near Etete on Tuesday morning.

Spokesperson Samantha Meyrick said the woman was walking along the road when the incident happened.

ALSO READ: Woman killed after being struck by car and shot dead in KZN