8 shooting victims found "lying in a pool of blood" in South Africa bar
The attack late on Friday evening was the latest mass shooting in the crime-weary African nation that has one of the world's highest murder rates.
The incident unfolded when an unknown number of gunmen entered the bar in Umlazi township and opened fire, police said.
First responders found the eight dead people "lying in a pool of blood with multiple gunshot wounds", police said in a statement, adding that two of them were women.
The victims were aged between 22 and 40 years old, police said.
"Investigations into the possible motive of the killings are underway," they said.
Shootings are common in South Africa, often fueled by gang violence and alcohol.
Many people own licensed firearms for personal protection, yet there are many more illegal guns in circulation.
There are around 75 murders a day in South Africa, according to police data.
According to the most recent government crime statistics, 6,953 people were murdered in the country from October 2024 to December 2024.
Sometimes entire families are targeted. Last September, gunmen shot dead seven members of the same family, including three children, in an execution-style killing in their home in a rural part of the country. In 2013, 10 members of the same family — including a 13-year-old — were killed in a mass shooting at their house in South Africa.
Sometimes, more high-profile people are targeted. Last month, gunmen in South Africa abducted a U.S. missionary from his church as he was delivering a sermon. Pastor Josh Sullivan was later rescued during a shootout between police and his captors that left three suspects dead.
In April 2024, soccer star Luke Fleurs was gunned down as he refilled his car at a gas station in South Africa. Six suspects were arrested.
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Business Insider
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" In a statement, the Department of Justice said when Rudolph returned to the United States after Bianca's death, he filed fraudulent claims on nine separate life insurance policies issued by seven different companies to obtain nearly $5 million. "A big thing after Bianca's death was … that no one was allowed to mention it," said Sloane. "Larry had people working for him in Pittsburgh while he was living with Lori in Arizona. Dental hygienists who started after Bianca died … were starting to raise questions around it. Was it really an accident? Larry and Lori were starting to act suspicious and paranoid, according to them. GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB "There are a lot of stories about surveillance that Larry and Lori set up in the office," she added. "It came to their attention over time that Larry and Lori were listening to everything they were saying, even though they were thousands of miles away. 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They were very open, and they stuck to their side of the story. And it remained consistent throughout the process. "I think there is still love there," said Sloane. "But I think they're both [more focused on] moving through the appeals process. In terms of a future, in terms of what they mean to each other today, I think they were tight-lipped on that." Sloane said the docuseries continues to spark new questions about the circumstances surrounding everyone who was involved. "You might feel they were wrongfully accused and don't belong in prison," said Sloane. "[Some might argue that] they wanted to build a successful practice together, and you can't help who you fall in love with. "I think the most prevalent way that people look at it is that they were both united in a desire to make money at any cost possible and were going to stop at nothing to attain the power and lifestyle they both ultimately wanted. Ultimately, they got carried away with it."
