KwaZulu-Natal police made a significant arrest following a mass shooting that left four people dead and one injured at a homestead in the Nyezane area of Estcourt on Sunday afternoon.
Story Summary:
- Four people were killed and one person injured in a mass shooting during a traditional ceremony in Estcourt on Sunday.
- Police have arrested one suspect with injuries linked to the scene, while the search for five others continues.
- Investigations suggest a possible connection to anti-stock theft activities, with the deceased being members of a local stock theft group.
Estcourt mass shooting: KZN police make breakthrough with crucial arrest
The suspect, aged 28, was apprehended at a hospital, where he was being treated for a gunshot wound to the chest and a broken arm, injuries that police say may link him directly to the crime scene.
According to police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nqobile Gwala, six masked individuals, reportedly armed with rifles and handguns, entered the homestead where a traditional ceremony was underway and opened fire on attendees.
Three victims died at the scene, while two others were rushed to a nearby medical facility, where one succumbed to injuries.
The victims’ ages range between 45 and 61.
Lieutenant Colonel Gwala stated that “swift, intelligence-driven investigations” led officers to the injured suspect, who had reportedly been brought to the hospital by accomplices.
Police are yet to establish if the suspect’s injuries were due to friendly fire or self-defence from someone present at the ceremony.
Though the exact motive behind the killings remains under investigation, initial reports suggest the attack may be linked to stock theft, as all four victims were known members of a Community Anti-Stock Theft Group active in the region.
Police continue to search for the remaining five suspects and urge anyone with relevant information to come forward.
The suspect, once stabilised, will face charges in court.