A four-year-old boy from Mitchells Plain is fighting for his life in hospital after he was caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting this past Saturday morning, The Daily Voice reports.
Mitchells Plain boy in critical condition
According to the Cape Town newspaper, the boy was rushed to a nearby medical centre, and later transferred to Groote Schuur Hospital, where he has been receiving treatment for a singular gunshot wound to his stomach.
Eyewitnesses claim the incident took place at approximately 11:00 and at the time, the boy was seen walking with his mom and David Laven, a 42-year-old man, to a fruit stall situated on Langeberg Avenue, in Tafelsig.
A grey Hyundai SUV was seen driving in close proximity to the boy and the two adults, before a number of gunshots were heard ringing off. According to the boy’s family, he was struck in the stomach, while his mother suffered a gunshot wound to her arm.
Laven, on the other hand, was shot multiple times and, unfortunately, did not survive the ambush.
Cape Town police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut confirmed the incident and noted that the matter is being handled by the anti-gang unit. However, according to Laven’s family, the murder couldn’t possibly be linked to gangs, since the 42-year-old was not attached to that lifestyle, at least, as far as they knew.
“He walks with crutches and does odd jobs for people here in the area and everybody knows him as Mannetjie because he was the guy they would call when some work needs to be done at their houses,” one relative said.
The murder/attempted murder case remains open and the suspects involved in the shooting are believed to be still at large. The four-year-old will most likely recover from his injury, the family confirmed.