Eight and nine-year-old struck by stray bullets in gang-related incidents on the Cape Flats
|Published
Cape Town - Two children were wounded in alleged gang-related shootings in Lotus River and Parkwood this week.
In one incident, a boy’s arm was broken after he was caught in the crossfire while playing.
Louqmaan Boonzaaier, 9, was struck by a bullet when two men reportedly shot at each other in Lotus River on Sunday at around 4.40pm.
His mother, Nazeemah Boonzaier, 35, said: “I was standing outside with him and I left for 10 minutes. I heard gunshots, and then later my son ran into our home. I didn’t know that he had been shot at the time.
“He went into the bathroom and when he came out he saw blood oozing out of his arm and then collapsed.
“We rushed him to hospital, and he was admitted for the night.
“In the morning he was discharged and told that he will have to go to the Red Cross Hospital for an operation because the bullet had shattered the bone,” she said.
The devastated mom said they were being held hostage in their homes by gangsters who shot at each other.
“Our children can’t freely play outside, they are trapped inside while gangsters are free to roam the streets as they please.
“This is not fair, we can’t live like this. My child could have been killed.”
Police spokesperson, Wesley Twigg, said Grassy Park detectives were investigating four attempted murder cases following a shooting on Sunday where four people, including a 9-year-old boy and three others aged between 22 and 28 were shot and wounded.
“According to reports, members attended to a complaint of a shooting,” he said.
“Upon their arrival they were informed by the community that four people had been shot in a drive-by shooting. The victims were taken to a nearby hospital with private transport.
“The unknown suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested.
“The possibility that this shooting incident can be gang related is also being investigated,” Twigg said.
In another shooting, an 8-year-old child was shot and wounded.
“Grassy Park police are investigating murder and attempted murder cases following a shooting on Sunday at about 7.30pm at Francis Court, Parker’s Walk, Parkwood. A 20-year-old male was shot and fatally wounded and three others, including an 8-year-old girl, were injured.
Twigg said the 20-year-old man was declared deceased on the scene by paramedics and the injured taken to a medical facility for treatment.
“The unknown suspects fled the scene and are yet to be arrested.
“The motive for this attack is now the subject of an investigation by the SAPS,” he said.
Anyone with information about these incidents is requested to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za
Cape Argus