Manhunt underway after tavern shooting kills nine in South Africa
Nine people were killed and at least 10 wounded when gunmen opened fire inside KwaNoxolo tavern in Bekkersdal, triggering a manhunt as South Africa faces a spate of bar shootings.
A mass shooting at a tavern in Bekkersdal, a township about 28 miles west of Johannesburg, left nine people dead and at least 10 wounded early Sunday, police said.
The attack unfolded just before 1 a.m. at KwaNoxolo tavern, where patrons were inside, authorities said. Investigators described a coordinated assault by multiple gunmen who arrived in a white minibus and a silver sedan, opened fire and then sped away, continuing to shoot as they fled. Maj. Gen. Fred Kekana, Gauteng’s acting provincial commissioner, said some gunmen wore balaclavas and were armed with an AK-47 rifle and several 9mm pistols. Police said some victims were randomly shot in the streets by unknown gunmen.
Gauteng’s Serious and Violent Crime Investigations unit, along with the Crime Detection Tracing Unit, led the effort to locate the attackers as a manhunt continued overnight.
This attack follows a string of mass shootings at bars — often called shebeens or taverns — in South Africa. Earlier this month, gunmen opened fire at an unlicensed bar near Pretoria, killing at least 12 and injuring 13, authorities said. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
There have been no immediate arrests and no claimed responsibility. Police urged anyone with information to come forward, and investigators said they would provide updates as information became available.
