JOHANNESBURG — Police in South Africa have launched a manhunt after multiple attackers killed 12 people and wounded at least nine in a late-night mass shooting in Johannesburg, police said Wednesday.Police said they believe more than 10 suspects, heavily armed with rifles, were driven in a minibus to the Jumpers Informal Settlement in the Cleveland suburb of Johannesburg late on Tuesday night and once there, opened fire on people before fleeing in the same vehicle.The motive for what police called a “heartless” and “barbaric” attack is still being investigated.Members of the Jumper’s community believe the shooting may be linked to a turf war between groups of illegal miners living in the area.According to a police statement, the attackers “moved through the area, opening fire on residents and community members at multiple locations before fleeing the scene in the same vehicle.””It is alleged that more than 10 suspects were dropped off by a white Toyota Quantum near a petrol station in Cleveland,” the police said in a statement.The victims were nine men and three women, according to police. Eleven died at the scene and another victim died in the hospital. At least nine others were taken to various medical facilities for treatment of gunshot wounds.Police were searching for the attackers but no arrests had been made. Informal settlements in South Africa are unplanned residential areas usually made up of shacks or similar structures.“Provincial and district detectives, supported by crime intelligence and forensic experts, have been mobilized to investigate the incident and track down the suspects,” said police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe.The local police department said its officers responded to a “complaint of shooting in progress” at about 23:10 local time (21:10 GMT) on Tuesday.]During a visit to the scene on Wednesday, police commissioner Tommy Mthombeni said the attackers were “heartless” but refused to link the killings to illegal mining until the investigation was complete.“We are still investigating, but what we have seen here is a criminal act. We have deployed all required units,” he said, adding that crime intelligence officials have also been deployed to the area.”As you know, this area is adjacent to the illegal mining area. We are having those suspicions,” he told reporters, calling the attack “heartless” and “barbaric”.Illegal mining is a lucrative, informal activity with groups targeting disused gold mines and selling their finds on the black market.JOHANNESBURG — Police in South Africa have launched a manhunt after multiple attackers killed 12 people and wounded at least nine in a late-night mass shooting in Johannesburg, police said Wednesday.Police said they believe more than 10 suspects, heavily armed with rifles, were driven in a minibus to the Jumpers Informal Settlement in the Cleveland suburb of Johannesburg late on Tuesday night and once there, opened fire on people before fleeing in the same vehicle.The motive for what police called a “heartless” and “barbaric” attack is still being investigated.Members of the Jumper’s community believe the shooting may be linked to a turf war between groups of illegal miners living in the area.According to a police statement, the attackers “moved through the area, opening fire on residents and community members at multiple locations before fleeing the scene in the same vehicle.””It is alleged that more than 10 suspects were dropped off by a white Toyota Quantum near a petrol station in Cleveland,” the police said in a statement.The victims were nine men and three women, according to police. Eleven died at the scene and another victim died in the hospital. At least nine others were taken to various medical facilities for treatment of gunshot wounds.Police were searching for the attackers but no arrests had been made. Informal settlements in South Africa are unplanned residential areas usually made up of shacks or similar structures.“Provincial and district detectives, supported by crime intelligence and forensic experts, have been mobilized to investigate the incident and track down the suspects,” said police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe.The local police department said its officers responded to a “complaint of shooting in progress” at about 23:10 local time (21:10 GMT) on Tuesday.]During a visit to the scene on Wednesday, police commissioner Tommy Mthombeni said the attackers were “heartless” but refused to link the killings to illegal mining until the investigation was complete.“We are still investigating, but what we have seen here is a criminal act. We have deployed all required units,” he said, adding that crime intelligence officials have also been deployed to the area.”As you know, this area is adjacent to the illegal mining area. We are having those suspicions,” he told reporters, calling the attack “heartless” and “barbaric”.Illegal mining is a lucrative, informal activity with groups targeting disused gold mines and selling their finds on the black market.
Manhunt under way in South Africa after 12 killed in Johannesburg mass shooting
