A Hillview mom has been left heartbroken after her 14-year-old son was ruthlessly killed in a drive-by shooting in Lavender Hill on Monday night.
Angry residents say Mikail Smith, 14, is the latest victim in a bloody turf war between the Fast Guns and Junky Funky Kids gangs, which has rocked the community in recent weeks.
According to witnesses, Mikail and his best friend Ezra Crozier, 14, were hit when gunmen in a white Toyota Quantum drove through the area near Stone Court and fired indiscriminately in the street.
Mom Nadene, 37, says Mikail had just returned home to his ouma’s house in Ashley Court after spending the day with Ezra and his family at Kalk Bay.
“We live in Hillview and he always came to this side. Ezra has family in Stone Court and they were together because they came from the beach,” she says.
“I got the call that Mikail was shot and the people told me he tried to run away and collapsed under the washing lines where he died. Ezra survived and they rushed him to hospital.”
A video showing a man crying near the body of the Grade 7 learner from Levana Primary went viral on social media groups.
Nadene did not get a chance to say goodbye to her son.
“When I got there, he was already dead and we are still in shock.
“He was my last born son and had his whole life in front of him.
“We were already traumatised because the day before Christmas, his sister Nichey, 20, was shot at.
“She is lucky because the bullet hit her skraams and ripped through her swirlkous but it could have been worse.”
Ezra’s mother, Ilana, 35, says they rushed to the scene after hearing about the shooting and found her son with three bullet wounds.
“He was struck in the stomach, leg and in the back. He had to go for an emergency operation at Groote Schuur and they had to remove his bowels to get to the bullets,” she says.
“He now has a stoma bag and doesn’t even know what really happened to him.
He will never be the same and now faces months in hospital.
“I am so upset that they just shoot like that and destroy the lives of innocent children.”
Police spokesperson, Captain FC van Wyk, says cops were called to Stone Court shortly before 7pm.
“A teen boy was shot and fatally wounded and a 14-year-old injured.
“The injured victim was taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Motive for the shooting is suspected to be gang-related.
“The Anti-Gang Unit and Metro police were deployed to the affected area and forces will remain on the ground until we are satisfied that calm has been restored.”
Anyone with any information about this shooting incident can contact the investigation officer Detective Warrant Officer Winston Titus on 071 673 1420 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.