Mass shooting in Johannesburg leaves 12 dead and 9 wounded, police report

Multiple attackers killed 12 people and wounded at least nine others in a mass shooting near Johannesburg, South Africa, late Tuesday night, according to police reports. Police believe that over 10 suspects arrived in a minibus at an informal settlement in the Cleveland suburb and began shooting at residents. The attackers reportedly moved through the area, firing at multiple locations before fleeing in the same vehicle. The victims included nine males and three females, with 11 pronounced dead at the scene and the 12th victim dying in a hospital. Police Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the identities of the deceased as eight adult males and three adult females. Authorities are currently searching for the attackers, and no arrests have been made. The motive for the shooting remains unclear. Informal settlements in South Africa are often characterized by unplanned residential areas consisting of shacks. Recent months have seen several high-profile mass shootings in the country, including two incidents in December that resulted in over 20 fatalities. Some shootings have been linked to illegal mining gangs operating in the Johannesburg area, with Cleveland being associated with such activities. South Africa has one of the highest murder rates globally, averaging about 60 murders per day.