Police have arrested the first suspect in connection with a mass shooting at a tavern in Wedela, near Carletonville, which left 17 people dead and 15 others injured.
Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni confirmed that the suspect was arrested in Tzaneen, Limpopo, as investigators continue searching for the other people believed to have been involved in the attack.
The shooting happened on Saturday night, 26 September 2026, at a tavern in Extension 3, Wedela.
Police said about eight armed men allegedly arrived at the establishment and opened fire on patrons outside before entering the tavern and continuing to shoot.
The suspects were reportedly armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols. They allegedly searched some patrons and took their cellphones before fleeing in two unidentified vehicles.
Two vehicles were also set alight during the incident.
The victims included 13 men and four women, who were declared dead at the scene. Fifteen other people sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to medical facilities for treatment.
Mthombeni said investigators had collected evidence at the crime scene, including blood stains, as part of efforts to identify and link suspects to the attack.
Police have opened 17 murder cases, 15 counts of attempted murder and two counts of malicious damage to property.
The motive for the shooting has not yet been established.
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