Man shot dead in busy main road

Cape Town - A suspected member of the G Unit gang was shot dead and two other suspected members seriously wounded in Elsies River on Friday.

According to the police, the trio were standing outside the Three Star fish and chips shop, shortly after 3pm, when two gunmen approached and opened fire on them.

The police believe the incident to be gang-related.

Police spokesman Captain Frederick van Wyk said the unnamed dead man, aged 29, died on the scene. The other two, believed to be in their early 20s, were shot in the chest, hand, leg and side.

“The victims had been taken to a nearby hospital for treatment,” he said.

According to the police, the two attackers ran off towards the Halt Road bridge and jumped on to the back of a bakkie, which drove away.

Van Wyk added that no arrests had been made, but police had opened a murder and attempted murder case for investigation.

By late yesterday, the police’s forensic investigators were still combing the area for clues, gathering empty cartridge shells and projectiles which lay strewn at the scene.

Officers at the scene said the police found .38mm projectiles and 9mm cartridges.

A resident, who did not want to be named, said the two gunmen had run towards his home in Elsies River, wanting to hide in the yard.

“We stood together and threw stones at them, even though they had weapons. They left us alone and continued running,” he said.

The man claimed the pair had been trying to ditch their weapons.

The attack has sparked fears of possible revenge attacks, with police officers on the scene concerned about retaliatory attacks.

In a separate incident yesterday afternoon, also believed to be gang-related, two women were shot and wounded in Hanover Park.

Van Wyk said the two women were hit by stray bullets while standing on their balconies.

One was hit in the chest and rushed to hospital for treatment, while the second woman was treated by a private doctor for a shot to the hand.

The shooting took place at 2.45pm and the police said they then deployed visible policing units throughout the area.

“We have opened a case of attempted murder,” Van Wyk said, adding that no arrests had been made.

l In Elsies River on Thursday, the police arrested a 33-year-old suspected member of the 28s gang for possession of drugs and several rounds of ammunition.

According to the police, the man was caught red-handed in Avonwood Estate in Elsies River while trying to dig up the goods.

The police found 29 pipes of dagga, 17 R1 rounds and 19 R5 rounds, three shotgun rounds and five 4.10 shotgun rounds of ammunition in his possession.

Weekend Argus