Police in Cape Town, South Africa, have launched investigations into two separate mass shootings that took place within a short span of time. According to Channels Television, the two attacks left several people dead and others wounded, and authorities are now working to establish what lay behind the violence that struck the city on the same night.
The first incident, according to Channels Television, occurred at around 8:00 PM on Wednesday. In that shooting, three people aged between 17 and 20 were shot dead. The young ages of the victims underline the severity of an attack that unfolded in an ordinary public setting, catching those present off guard.
Police accounts cited by Channels Television describe how the first attack was carried out. Five men were reportedly standing outside a local tuck shop when they were approached by armed suspects, who then opened fire on them. The suddenness of the assault left little chance for those targeted to react before the gunmen struck.
Only about 20 minutes later, police were called to a second shooting, according to Channels Television. This attack took place at a residence in Marcos Gavi, in the Philippi East area, where a group of people came under fire. The short interval between the two incidents added to the alarm surrounding the events of that evening.
The toll from the second shooting was also heavy. According to Channels Television, seven people were shot at the residence, four of whom died as a result of their injuries. The three others who were wounded in the attack were taken to hospital, where they were receiving treatment for the injuries they sustained.
Taken together, the two shootings claimed the lives of seven people and left three more wounded in the space of a single evening in Cape Town. The concentration of casualties across two separate locations in such a brief window points to the intensity of the violence that police are now seeking to unravel.
As the investigations get underway, key questions remain unanswered. According to Channels Television, police say the motive for both attacks is still unclear and that inquiries are continuing. Investigators are expected to examine whether the two shootings were connected, as they try to identify those responsible and establish what drove the assaults.