Families devastated as 7 killed in Bishop Lavis shooting

Three people, including a teenager, have been arrested after a mass shooting in Bishop Lavis on Thursday night that left seven dead.

Western Cape police commissioner Thembisile Patekile confirmed the arrests, stating the suspects were found in the area with a firearm.

This shooting in Bishop Lavis was the third in three weeks, coming just a day after five people were shot dead in a car on the road between Mamre and Atlantis.

The week before, three people were killed and a 14-year-old was injured in Delft.

In the Bishop Lavis incident, eight people were attacked while sitting in a wendy house on Kogelberg Road.

Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa reported that at about 8:40pm, an armed suspect entered the dwelling and fired several shots.

“Seven people were fatally wounded while another was injured and taken to a hospital,” Potelwa said.

“Murder and attempted murder cases have been opened, with detectives from the Anti-Gang Unit investigating. The victims were aged between 24 and 55.”

The recent shooting follows another incident in which five people were killed in Atlantis on Wednesday evening, both believed to be gang-related. Commissioner Patekile has ordered that all resources be used to find those responsible for these crimes.

A video from the crime scene showed two men dead on a bed, while four other victims were found on the floor, and one man lay outside the wendy house.

Families of the victims are struggling to understand why this happened. Lee-Anne Hendricks, 24, a mother to a one-year-old girl, was visiting a neighbour when she was killed.

Her mother, Desree Hendricks, 51, said she heard people shouting outside that her daughter had been shot.

“We went to the wendy house around the corner, but by the time we got there, she had already died,” her mother explained. “She was shot in the head. One victim was lying outside.” Desree described her daughter as a kind person who loved others, saying, “I have no words to express my grief. Everyone is heartbroken.”

Gaironesa Williams, 57, rushed to the scene after receiving a call about her brother, Igshaan Madatt, 55.

“I was in Valhalla Park when my sister called. When I arrived, the police told me I couldn’t go in because forensics were working,” she said.

Subcouncil Chairperson Councillor Angus McKenzie stated that the murders are linked to gang activity.

“These seven individuals were brutally killed when an unknown armed person entered a backyard dwelling and opened fire. These murders are part of an ongoing gang war in Valhalla Park and Bishop Lavis, which are affected by daily shootings and murders. I thank SAPS for increasing police presence and resources to tackle the gang issues in these areas.”

Also read: 5 killed, 5 injured in Atlantis shooting