Cape Town - Police are investigating the deaths of three men whose bullet-riddled bodies were found in front of a Westridge, Mitchells Plain, home over the weekend.
The murders, attributed to gang violence, come amid growing calls for police and the government to intensify their efforts to rid local Cape Flats communities of gangsters behind ongoing bloody feuds.
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said Mitchells Plain detectives have opened a murder docket for investigation following the fatal shooting of the three men on Sunday evening.
“An initial report of the incident indicates that a gunman arrived at an address in Jersey Street at about 9.30pm and asked for the owner by name. Once the owner came out to meet the suspect, the armed man then proceeded to shoot him and two other men.
“All three men were declared dead at the scene, and the suspect fled. He is yet to be arrested. Our investigating officers looking into the incident believe that the shooting could be gang-related,” Potelwa said.
Family and friends identified the victims as Ryan Richards, 28, Fabian De Boer, 26, and Edmundo Solomons, 30.
A neighbour who lives a few houses away from the scene of the crime recounted the gruesome shooting, saying that he was still shocked that gang violence had finally penetrated the quiet community, leaving three dead.
He said on the night of the shooting, three men walked into the street and stood a few feet from the house.
“One of the guys then proceeded to walk towards the house while the other two stayed across the street. He approached one of the victims who was standing on the doorstep of the house and asked him something.
“When the boy walked up to him, that’s when he pulled out a gun and shot him. He then proceeded to shoot the other two victims and walk away.”