Berea shooting spree boy in custody

CCTV screengrab shows a 14-year-old boy firing at two passers-by in Alexandra Street, Berea.

CCTV screengrab shows a 14-year-old boy firing at two passers-by in Alexandra Street, Berea.

Published Jul 30, 2015

Share

Johannesburg - The 14-year-old boy who allegedly went on a shooting spree in Berea last week is finally in a place of safety.

The boy appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and the case was postponed to Friday.

Meanwhile, he has been placed in custody at a juvenile institution.

After his alleged shooting spree, in which he fired nine rounds, Berea residents were horrified to find that he had been released from the hospital into the care of his parents, who live in the area.

They feared the boy would attack again and sent a petition to the Hillbrow police demanding he be removed.

Last week, the youth went on a rampage, firing randomly and seriously injuring a 42-year-old woman, who he shot four times at close range. A bullet hit her in the head, and she is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

As she lay bleeding, the boy continued walking, still firing at people.

He shot a man in the leg and another bullet narrowly missed another man sitting in his car.

The boy eventually accidentally shot himself in the foot and was arrested a few blocks away when a private security company and a staff member at a block of flats gave chase.

The teen faces three charges of attempted murder, malicious damage to property and being in possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Mduduzi Zondo, the Hillbrow police spokesman, said the boy was in safe custody pending his trial.

An investigation into how the boy had got access to the gun was at an advanced stage.

[email protected]

The Star

Related Topics: