Outrage as 14-year-old Cape Town teen killed by gunshot wounds to the head in suspected gang violence
Elsies River police have opened a case of murder following a shooting that fatally wounded a 14-year-old boy.
The incident took place on Friday, September 19, at approximately 2:33pm in 18th Avenue, Elsies River, in the Western Cape. Police spokesperson, Captain FC Van Wyk, said SAPS members attended to a shooting incident, and upon their arrival, they found the victim lying in the road with multiple gunshot wounds to the head.
“Circumstances surrounding this incident are under investigation. The motive is believed to be gang-related,” said Van Wyk.
Van Wyk added that a thorough investigation by Elsies River detectives and members of the Anti-Gang Unit led to the arrest of five suspects, aged 16, 21, 23, 27, and 30.
“They are due to appear in the Goodwood Magistrates Court on Monday, September 22, for the mentioned charge,” he said.
Community outrage
The incident has sparked outrage and grief in the community. A local activist, who was on the scene, described the harrowing experience of identifying the victim.
“I tried to see if I could identify the boy. Because I work in the community of Elsies River, I couldn’t see his face. His face is so badly damaged. His dad came, and his dad identified him by the school clothes and the shoes, only the shoes,” she said.
Another community member emphasised the growing concern over gang-related violence.
“We are here as mothers. We are here as women. We are here as mourning mothers. This has become normalised. We have normalised death. We are here today again at a scene where we have to identify, where a mother has to identify the body of a child, just school shoes,” she said.
She also questioned the lack of political response to the ongoing violence.
“Why is the President not talking? Why is he not coming? Why is he making these people feel like their plight doesn’t matter? The mother and the father are not going to come here. They are scared. What is that telling them?”
The tragedy highlights the urgent need for intervention in gang-related violence and systemic social issues affecting the Cape Flats. Authorities continue to investigate the shooting.
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