South Africa police say 15 killed in bar shooting in Soweto
Johannesburg, Jul 10: A mass shooting at a tavern in Johannesburg's Soweto township has killed 15 people and left others in critical condition, according to police.
Police say they are investigating reports that a group of men arrived in a minibus taxi and opened fire on some of the patrons at the bar shortly after midnight Sunday.
Those injured have been taken to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.
The number of cartridges found on the scene indicates that a group of people opened fire in the bar, said Gauteng province police commissioner Lt. Gen. Elias Mawela.
The primary investigation suggests that these people were enjoying themselves here, in a licensed tavern operating within the right hours," Mawela told The Associated Press.
All of a sudden they heard some gunshots, that is when people tried to run out of the tavern. We don't have the full details at the moment of what is the motive, and why they were targeting these people," he said.
You can see that a high caliber firearm was used and it was shooting randomly. You can see that every one of those people were struggling to get out of the tavern, Mawela told The Associated Press.
The area where the shooting took place was very dark, making it harder to find people who could identify the suspects, he said.
Rifles and a 9 mm pistol were used in the attack, said national police spokeswoman Col. Dimakatso Sello.
In a separate incident, four people were shot dead by unknown gunmen at a tavern in Sweetwaters township in the coastal city of Pietermaritzburg on Saturday night.
According to the police, two men entered the tavern and randomly opened fire on the patrons, killing two people on the scene while two others were confirmed dead at the hospital.
Police said 8 other people are receiving treatment in a hospital.
The deceased were aged between 30 and 45 and police are investigating charges of murder and attempted murder, police said.
The team will be working around the clock to track down and bring to book those responsible for this shooting , said Kwazulu-Natal police commissioner Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
The bar shootings come two weeks after 21 teenagers were found dead in a tavern in the city of East London.
The cause of those deaths has not yet been announced by authorities, but the teens were not shot nor crushed in a stampede, according to officials.
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Killing of Tripura student in Dehradun a horrific 'hate crime': Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday called the killing of a Tripura student in Uttarakhand's Dehradun a "horrific hate crime", as he accused the ruling BJP of "normalising" hate.
Twenty-four-year-old Angel Chakma from Nandannagar in the West Tripura district was attacked by a group of six people when he objected to an alleged racial slur on December 9 in Dehradun. He succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment on December 26.
In a post on X, Gandhi said hate does not appear overnight.
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"What happened to Anjel Chakma and his brother Michael in Dehradun is a horrific hate crime," he said.
"Hate doesn't appear overnight. For years now, it is being fed daily -- especially to our youth -- through toxic content and irresponsible narratives. And it's being normalised by the hate-spewing leadership of the ruling BJP," he said.
The Leader of Opposition said India is built on respect and unity, not fear and abuse.
"We are a country of love and diversity. We must not become a dead society that looks away while fellow Indians are targeted. We must reflect and confront what we are allowing our country to become," he said.
"My thoughts are with the Chakma family and the people of Tripura and Northeast. We are proud to call you our fellow Indian brothers and sisters," Gandhi added.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Sunday said his Uttarakhand counterpart Pushkar Singh Dhami has assured him that all persons responsible for the murder will be arrested.
Thousands of students under the banner of Tipra Indigenous Students' Federation on Sunday organised a candle march here seeking justice for Angel Chakma. The students covered a distance of around one kilometre from the North Gate of Ujjayanta Palace.
What happened to Anjel Chakma and his brother Michael in Dehradun is a horrific hate crime.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 29, 2025
Hate doesn’t appear overnight. For years now it is being fed daily - especially to our youth - through toxic content and irresponsible narratives. And it’s being normalised by the… pic.twitter.com/eDN7XiIGZ2
