Byline: Thendo Funyufunyu
Friday, 16 June 2023
A 32-year-old male suspect was arrested by the police in Piet Retief last night, Thursday, 15 June 2023, not long after reportedly killing five members of his family.
A grandma (age 71), three kids (ages 3, 8, and 10), and one adult were among the victims.
A 22-year-old lady, who was also reportedly shot by the same perpetrator, is lucky to be alive but is in critical condition.
According to reports, the horrific occurrence happened in Piet Retief on June 15 at 18:15.
A family member reportedly left the house to get some food, and when he came back, he noticed something odd since the sound of the radio inside the house was so loud, which was uncommon for him.
He first knocked on the door but got no answer, so he finally shattered it to get inside.
He reportedly encountered the suspect inside, a family member who was carrying a gun.
Soon after, he noticed his sister’s and his grandmother’s lifeless bodies lying on the ground.
Thankfully, the sister was still alive and was rushed to the hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds to her stomach.
Sadly, three children’s lifeless bodies were also discovered in different bedrooms.
The three kids and the grandmother had already been declared dead when the Piet Retief Police and the paramedics arrived on the scene.
The Police are looking into a case that has four murder counts and one attempted murder count. The police discovered some cartridges and ammo at the spot.
Following the incident, Piet Retief police moved quickly and under the direction of the provincial commissioner to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrator.
A gun that was allegedly used in the commission of a crime was seized after his arrest for further examination.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has strongly condemned the fatal shooting of members of a family whilst applauding members for their swift response.
