At least 12 people were killed in a mass shooting at a bar in a hostel in Saulsville, Africa, early Saturday morning.
Three gunmen “randomly” opened fire on people inside the venue at around 4:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, Dec. 6, according to The Times, the BBC and South African outlet News 24.
Ten victims died at the scene, and two more died in the hospital. Three of those killed were minors: a 3-year-old boy, a 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl, the outlets reported, citing the South African Police Service (SAPS).
A total of 25 other people were wounded in the attack, per the reports.
SAPS spokesperson Brig. Athlenda Mathe said in a statement to The Times, “We are told that the three-year-old is actually the child of the owner.”
“I think one of the minors is also a brother of the owner. So quite an unfortunate situation, but we have full faith and confidence in the team that has been established to get to the bottom of this case,” he added.
Mathe said authorities are searching for three suspects believed to be involved in the shooting. Police were not notified of the incident until 6:15 a.m., and the motive for the killings remains unknown.
Mathe also told The Times that the location where the shooting occurred is an illegal bar, known locally as a “shebeen.”
“These unlicensed liquor premises are posing a challenge for us because that is where most of these incidents happen, where people are being killed,” he explained.
“There are confrontations and misunderstandings that lead to people fighting and ultimately some losing their lives,” Mathe continued, adding that nearly 12,000 such locations have been shut down between April and September.
The Tshwane Metro Police Department is assisting SAPS with the investigation.
The SAPS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday, Dec. 7.
