Wedela tavern mass shooting: Death toll rises to 18 as police hunt gunmen - IOL

Gauteng police have confirmed that 18 people have now died following a mass shooting at a tavern in Wedela, with a dedicated multidisciplinary team investigating the attack.

One more victim has died in hospital following a shooting at a tavern in Wedela, in Gauteng’s West Rand District, bringing the death toll to 18, police confirmed on Monday.

Only four of the dead have been identified so far - two South Africans and two Lesotho nationals.

The shooting took place on Friday evening, police said.

Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni had established a dedicated multidisciplinary team to investigate the shooting.

“The team comprises seasoned murder and robbery detectives, Crime Intelligence and Crime Scene Investigation members, and is led by a senior brigadier responsible for Crime Investigation Services in the province,” Muridili said.

She said the charges had been updated to 18 counts of murder, 18 counts of attempted murder, two counts of malicious damage to property and armed robbery.

Muridili said all the injured victims who remain in hospital have been identified.

“According to information provided to the police, five were shot in the upper body and are critically wounded, while the others are in a stable condition,” she said.

Operation Prosper, which includes the South African National Defence Force and specialised SAPS units such as the Tactical Response Team and Public Order Policing, has also been brought in to update its operational matrix and intensify operations in Wedela and surrounding areas.

Muriduli said no arrests have been made.

Police launched a manhunt for eight unidentified armed men following the deadly shooting.

Muridili said patrons were drinking inside and outside the tavern when the gunmen arrived and opened fire on those outside.

“The suspects then entered the tavern and continued shooting at patrons inside,” she said.

The men were reportedly armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols. 

They allegedly searched some patrons and took their cellphones before fleeing the scene in two unidentified vehicles.

Two vehicles were also set alight during the incident, police said.

The motive for the shooting remains unknown.