Cape Town - A four-year-old boy has become the second child wounded in a spate of shootings to break out in Elsies River.
The child is one of the three people who were shot on Wednesday evening.
Police spokesperson, Joseph Swartbooi, said Elsies River police were pursuing leads in a bid to apprehend the suspects who are responsible for the death of an adult man and the attempt to kill a man and the child in Epping Forest.
“At around 5:30pm unknown gunmen opened fire on the occupants of a house in Snaresbrook Avenue.
“A man aged 24 did not survive the onslaught on his life as he sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
“A 49-year-old man and a 4- year-old boy who also sustained gunshot wounds was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
“The motive for this murder and two counts of attempted murders is now the subject of an investigation by the South African Police Service.”
Elsies River Community Policing Forum (CPF) spokesperson Imraahn Mukaddam said they noted with concern the wounding of yet another young child in the precinct.
“Elsies River is in the news for all the wrong reasons once again.
“At this stage there is not enough clarity around the circumstances of this incident, except that one person was killed and another man and the young child who was injured in what was described as a gang hit.
“Our primary concern will always be the safety of our community, especially our children. It is unacceptable that our children have to be constantly exposed to such a hostile environment where their lives are at risk from the many active shootings in our area on an almost daily basis. We refuse to accept these deaths and injuries are just collateral damage in the ongoing gang violence in our area.
“We believe every child has a right to a safe environment and that the fact that these senseless shootings continue unabated indicates that the state and its law enforcement agencies are failing in their duty to protect and ensure a safe living environment.
“We appeal for calm and request that those opportunistic forces who exploit volatile situations for either sensationalism or disruptive agendas without knowing all the facts to refrain from inciting our already traumatised communities.”
Anyone with information about the incident is requested to call Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or by using the mobile application MySAPS anonymously.