On Sunday evening, gunmen fatally shot eight people who had gathered for a birthday party in South Africa, according to authorities. The fatal incident occurred at a home in Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth, according to the BBC.
According to police, the two gunmen who entered the premises fired at random at the attendees. The house owner was among those killed by gunfire. Three other people were also injured. On Monday, the country’s police minister and chief of police are expected to lead a delegation to the crime scene.
Authorities have since launched an investigation into the fatal incident, according to local news outlets. Arrests, however, have yet to be made.
South African gun violence has been on the rise in recent years. According to a November 2022 report by the non-governmental organization Gun Free South Africa, South Africa’s gun violence epidemic kills 30 people per day, injures 180, and costs the country billions of dollars in direct and indirect costs.
Last year, armed men opened fire on a Soweto bar, killing about 15 people.