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Tavern shooting kills 17 in South Africa
A tavern attack near Johannesburg killed 17 people as police began a search for the gunmen.
What happened
Gunmen opened fire on patrons outside and inside a tavern in Wedela, southwest of Johannesburg, killing 17 and injuring 15. They took some patrons’ phones, set two vehicles alight and fled. Hours later, a separate shooting near Cape Town killed 10 people and injured 11.
Numbers
- 17 killedPeople killed at Wedela tavern
- 15 injuredPeople injured in tavern attack
- 10 killedPeople killed near Cape Town
- 58 daily murdersAverage murders recorded each day — National crime statistics
Questions
- Who are police seeking?
- Police are pursuing unidentified armed men who left in vehicles after taking some patrons’ phones and setting vehicles alight.
- What points police toward robbery?
- Personal belongings were taken from patrons, which police cited when discussing robbery as an explanation for the attack.
- Where did gunmen fire first?
- Gunmen first opened fire on patrons outside the tavern, then entered the building and continued shooting customers inside.
- What is the national violence context?
- National crime statistics put the daily murder average at 58, while mass shootings have recurred in recent days.
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The catch
Police have not identified the attackers or confirmed a motive, and one outlet later reported a higher tavern death toll.