Police have arrested and charged two people in connection with a fatal shooting outside Atlantis Magistrate’s Court.
|||Cape Town - Police have arrested and charged two people in connection with a fatal shooting outside the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
The men, both in their early twenties, were arrested last night and are due to appear in the same court on Monday.
Two men, aged 28 and 23, were shot and killed and another was wounded in a brazen shooting outside the court on Thursday at about 1pm. The wounded man was taken to hospital and was in a stable condition this morning.
Police said that they had “no idea” what had led to the shooting.
Atlantis councillor Barbara Rass, whose office is opposite the court, said people fled the building in panic.
She said one person died behind the court. “Another managed to run, but fell down. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died. A third man was shot in the arm and leg.
“Atlantis is in mourning. Many years ago, there was also a shooting outside this court and recently there have been a lot of hits in the area. It’s all about grudges and territory between gangs.” She called for more police visibility and cameras outside court.
Although Rass commended police for their quick action and success in the latest arrests, they come against a backdrop of mounting criticism of Atlantis police. Rass said murders had increased in recent months, yet the conviction rate had been very low. She called for a commission of inquiry into the spate of murders and the local police station’s response to them.
MP Denise Robinson, constituency head for Atlantis, said the community was living in fear and witnesses and informants refused to come forward, fearing they would not get adequate protection in return for testimony.
Metro police officers swooped on suspected drug dens and gang safe houses in Lavender Hill on Thursday.
Operation Choke was in response to the murder of traffic officer Wesley Woodman in Prince George Drive last week while he was fining Shuaib Arafdien. It is believed Arafdien, who also died, was a member of the Junkie Funkies gang, and was the target.
Cape Argus