Five people aged between 25 and 35 have been taken to a hospital in Bloemfontein following a shooting at a tavern in the CBD in the early hours of Saturday morning.

This comes after a 30-year-old man randomly opened fire at the tavern.

Police spokesperson Loraine Earle says the suspect allegedly opened fire after a dispute with tavern bouncers when he attempted to leave the tavern with bottles of liquor.

When he was stopped by bouncers, he allegedly dropped the bottles, went to his vehicle, and returned with a firearm and started shooting.

Another victim narrowly escaped when a bullet tore through his trousers. And the bouncer who was shot at multiple times was unharmed.

Earle says the suspect was later arrested by police. He is expected to appear in court soon.

#sapsFS A 30-year-old man has been arrested for attempted murder following a shooting incident at a local tavern at Parkweg in the early hours of Saturday morning. The suspect allegedly shot and wounded five people after a dispute with tavern bouncers. MLhttps://t.co/pfb5FxvMng pic.twitter.com/fkL4hi9nrb

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) August 9, 2025