At least 17 killed in 2 mass shootings in the same town in South Africa; search underway for suspects

Seventeen people were killed in two mass shootings that took place in close proximity to each other in a rural town in South Africa, police said Saturday.

A search was underway for the suspects, national police spokesperson Brig. Athlenda Mathe said in a statement. The victims were 15 women and two men, she said. One other person was in critical condition in the hospital.

The shootings took place Friday night in the town of Lusikisiki in Eastern Cape province in southeastern South Africa. Video released by police showed that the shootings occurred at two houses in the same neighborhood, which is a collection of rural homesteads on the outskirts of the town.

Twelve women and a man were killed in one house and three women and a man were killed in the other house, police said.

“A manhunt has been launched to apprehend those behind these heinous killings,” Mathe said.

South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, and mass shootings have become increasingly common in recent years, sometimes targeting people in their homes.

Earlier this month, unknown gunmen shot dead seven members of the same family, including three children, in an execution-style killing in their home in rural South Africa, police said.

Last year, seven women and three men – all from the same family – were fatally shot outside the South African city of Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal, police said. The youngest victim was a 13-year-old boy.