Westridge and Portland residents fear for safety amid five days of shootings
Five days of shootings have left Westridge and Portland residents fearing for their safety.
Image: File
It has been a bloody start to July for Westridge residents.
On Wednesday, July 2, a 24-year-old man was gunned down just after 9am in Simonsig Street. The incident led to the postponement of RLabs House, a local non-profit's first Thursday event, which had been planned for Thursday, July 3.
Colonel Henry Pietersen, detective commander of Mitchell’s Plain police, said a 27-year-old alleged Americans gang member was killed in another shooting, this time in Bonfoi Street, around 6pm on Tuesday, July 1.
The Plainsman can confirm that shots were also fired near Simonsig Street earlier on the same day, although no reports were filed with the police.
Portland's residents are also on edge following several shootings in the area in recent days. On Wednesday, July 2, shots were fired at a house in Nile Way, prompting parents to rush to the Portland community centre where their children were attending a holiday recreational programme.
Shots were also fired near Michigan Way, Portland, on Monday evening, 30 Jun,e although no reports were filed with the police.
On Sunday, July 29, Mitchell’s Plain police responded to a shooting at an alleged Hard Livings gang hangout in Molopo Street, Portland, in which a 26-year-old man died and a 13-year-old was injured.
Colonel Pietersen said the deceased was on parole when he was killed. The 13-year-old boy was with the deceased when a car pulled up and unknown men opened fire, he said.
The police are also investigating the death of a man who was killed in Beacon Valley after unknown men tried to rob him of his bicycle, Colonel Pietersen added.
Meanwhile, a 27-year-old man has been arrested on charges of murder following the fatal stabbing of a 24-year-old man on Michigan Street, Portland, on Friday, July 27.
The incident involved two alleged members of the Firm Boys gang.
Colonel Pietersen said the accused appeared in the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court in absentia earlier this week.
“The deceased was stabbed by one of his own gang members after an argument. We arrested a suspect who appeared in court in absentia because he is in the hospital.
“After the stabbing on Friday, the suspect was allegedly assaulted by his own gang and hospitalised. He will appear again in court on Tuesday, July 8,” he said.
No arrests have been made in the Westridge, Portland, or Beacon Valley shootings.