Police launch manhunt for vagrant massacre killers

The National  Commissioner of the SAPS General Khehla John Sitole has called for the immediate mobilisation of the police 72-hour Activation Plan following a massacre of several vagrants in Gqeberha on Wednesday night.

Sitole’s spokesperson, Brigadier  Vishnu Naidoo, said four people had been killed and five others were wounded in the massacre in Central.

“Preliminary investigations at this point has revealed that at around 21:00, two unknown male suspects approached a group of perceived vagrants in an abandoned building in Clyde Street in Central. It is alleged that the suspects were in search of an unknown person whom they did not find and thereafter started firing shots at the group,” Naidoo said.

“Four victims, a woman and three (3) men sustained multiple gunshot wounds and succumbed to their injuries at the scene. Five other victims, a woman and four men, were seriously wounded and rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention,” Naidoo said.

He said the police had not yet determined the identities of the victims. 

Police Commissioner urges investigators to work swiftly

“Police have launched a manhunt for the suspects while an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this attack is underway. No arrests have been made at this stage,” Naidoo said.

Sitole condemned the killings as cowardice and a blatant disregard for human life and the law. 

Sitole urged his team of police investigators to track and trace the perpetrators in the quickest time possible.

The police have asked anyone who can assist in identifying the victims;  with tracing their next of kin or with any information related to the suspects to contact Detective Warrant Officer Raubenheimer at SAPS Humewood on 074 4306 048 or to call Crime Stop on 086 00 10111. Information can also be relayed via the MySAPSApp, an application which can be downloaded on any Android or iPhone. 

Informers may remain anonymous and all information will be treated with strictest confidence.