Eight Shot Dead In Mass Shooting At Birthday Party In South Africa

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Eight Shot Dead In Mass Shooting At Birthday Party In South Africa

Gunmen killed eight people and wounded three others at a birthday party in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, police said, adding that a manhunt was underway to find the killers.

The mass shooting was carried out by two attackers and occurred between 5:15 and 5:30 p.m. (1515 and 1530 GMT) on Sunday at a house in Kwazakele, Gqeberha, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement.

The gunmen fled after the attack, and no arrests have been made, the police said. Investigations into the circumstances and possible motives for the attack were ongoing. Police have not named the victims, but confirmed that the owner of the house was among them.

“These victims were killed by criminals, and we will not rest until we find out what happened and who was responsible for [this] callous and cold-blooded attack on these unsuspecting victims,” said Eastern Cape Police Commissioner Nomthetheleli Lillian Mene about Sunday afternoon’s attack.

    Police Minister Bheki Cele visited the scene of the shooting on Monday and asked for patience while the investigation continued.

    “We know everybody is angry and would love that we respond quickly, but we request a little bit of space so that we do the work thoroughly,” he told reporters in Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth.

    South Africa has one of the highest gun crime rates in the world but random mass shootings are uncommon.

    Last year, the country saw a string of shootings in separate taverns which left more than 20 people dead. Those shootings are still under investigation.

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