Manhunt underway after mass shooting kills 8 in South Africa
South African police are searching for an unknown number of gunmen who shot and killed eight inside a Durban tavern on Friday night. Photo by Kim Ludbrook/EPA-EFE
May 17 (UPI) -- A manhunt is underway after an unknown number of shooters entered a tavern in Durban, South Africa, and killed eight people Friday night.
The mass shooting occurred in the Zama information settlement at U Section, Umlazi, the South African Police Service in KwaZulu-Natal, said Saturday in a news release.
"The victims were inside the dwelling when an unknown number of suspects entered and opened fire, killing them at the scene," the news release says.
"Investigations into the possible motive of the killings are underway, and police have launched a manhunt for the suspects."
Local police found six men and two women between ages 22 and 40 with multiple gunshot wounds lying dead in a pool of blood after receiving multiple calls about murders.
Durban is South Africa's main cargo port and is located on the northeastern coast of South Africa. About 4.2 million people live in the greater Durban area.
South Africa averages 75 murders every day and reported 6,953 murders from October to December in 2024.
Gangs often commit the murders, which sometimes target entire families or prominent people.
Gunmen killed a family of seven, including three children, in September and last month abducted a U.S. missionary while he was delivering a sermon at his church.
Police rescued the missionary after killing three of his kidnappers in a shootout.
Soccer star Luke Fleurs in April 2024 was shot and killed while topping off his car's fuel tank at a gas station in South Africa. Police arrested six suspects in Fleurs' killing.
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