Death toll rises to 10 in latest South Africa pub shooting

The death toll in South Africa ’s latest mass shooting at a pub rose to 10 on Tuesday while police said they had identified two potential suspects.

Three women and seven men were killed in Sunday’s early-morning assault in the township of Bekkersdal, 46 kilometres west of Johannesburg. Nine people remain hospitalised.

The attack took place at around 1 a.m., when about 12 unidentified gunmen in two vehicles opened fire at pub patrons.

They continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene, according to police.

Maj. Gen. Fred Kekana, acting provincial commissioner of Gauteng, said two people have been identified as potential suspects in the shooting based on community reports to the police.

A Gauteng police spokesperson also said the owner of the tavern will be charged with fraud and operating an illegal liquor outlet. Authorities have confiscated all alcohol in the pub.

It was the second mass shooting in three weeks at a township pub in South Africa.

In early December, a gun attack at an unlicensed bar near Pretoria killed at least 12 people, including three children. On Monday, a 32-year-old man was arrested in connection with the shooting.