At least 17 people Killed in mass shooting at family gathering in South Africa

Seventeen individuals, including 15 women, were killed in two nearby houses in a rural town in South Africa, as reported by the police. The incident occurred on Friday night in Lusikisiki, located in the Eastern Cape province of southeastern South Africa.

Police released video footage indicating that the shooting happened at two residences within the same neighborhood, which consists of rural homesteads on the outskirts of the town.

In one house, twelve women and one man were killed, while three women and another man were killed in the second house. Four women, one man, and a two-month-old baby managed to survive.

Local media indicated that the victims were attending a family gathering when the shooting took place, but the motives behind the attack remain unclear.

In a country with a population of 62 million, South Africa recorded 12,734 homicides in the first half of this year, averaging over 70 murders per day, according to official police crime statistics. Firearms are the leading cause of death in these incidents.

Mass shootings have become more frequent in recent years, often targeting individuals in their homes. For instance, in April 2023, ten family members, including seven women and a 13-year-old boy, were killed in a mass shooting at their residence in the neighboring KwaZulu-Natal province.