Three dead, six injured in petrol station shooting in Orkney

A drive-by shooting at a petrol station in Orkney claimed the lives of three people and left six others injured, North West police said on Tuesday.

The incident happened on Monday evening, said Capt Sam Tselanyane.

“It is alleged that on Monday June 7 about 7.10pm while on duty at the Community Service Centre (CSC), members heard gun shots not far from the police station and moments thereafter, a man who was profusely bleeding entered the CSC armed with a pistol.

“The victim told members that he was shot at the Engen garage at the corner of Shakespeare and Flecker roads in Orkney,” Tselanyane said.

Police rushed to the garage, where they were met with another bloody scene.

“They were told that a White Ford Ranger with about three occupants entered the garage and stopped next to the Toyota Fortuner with four occupants that was parked near the exit route,” said Tselanyane. “The suspects allegedly fired shots towards the Fortuner as well as randomly and that ultimately resulted in fatally wounding three of the occupants while the fourth victim managed to flee.  Furthermore, five bystanders were injured in the process,” Tselanyane added.

The injured were taken to a local hospital.

Police said the motive for the shooting was still unclear but “preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased were members of a long-distance taxi association operating between North West and the Eastern Cape,” Tselanyane said.

No arrests have been made.

The acting provincial commissioner of North West, Maj-Gen Dintletse Molefe, condemned the incident. She has instructed the district commissioner to invoke the 72-hour action plan to trace and apprehend the perpetrators.

Police have called on anyone with information to come forward.

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