Mpumalanga man ‘kills wife and son, shoots daughter and other relatives’

A Mpumalanga man shot and killed his wife and three-year-old son, then injured several other family members before turning the gun on himself. The incident happened in Verena on Tuesday at around 11pm. Provincial police spokesperson Lt-Col Jabu Ndubane said officers responded to a reporteddomestic violenceincident after the couple allegedly had a dispute.

When officers arrived at the scene, a neighbour said they were outside when the suspect became involved in a heated argument with his wife. Ndubane said the suspect allegedly drew a firearm and shothis 43-year-old wifeand son, as well as the neighbour. He then fled the scene with his six-year-old daughter in his vehicle.

“It is alleged that he drove to his parents’ house in another section of the area,” Ndubane said. Police proceeded to the suspect’s parents’ house in search of him. Upon arrival officers found the suspect inside his vehicle with a gunshot wound and showing no signs of life Preliminary investigations led police to cordon off the scene and search it.

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“During the search, officers found the body of the alleged wife lying outside the house on the grass, facing down, with multiple gunshot wounds. “The three-year-old boy was found inside the living room with a gunshot wound and was also declared dead at the scene.” The suspect had also allegedly shot his sister-in-law, and his wife’s uncle, who were rushed to the hospital to receive medical treatment. Upon arrival, officers found the suspect inside his vehicle with a gunshot wound and showing no signs of life.

He was also declared dead at the scene. READ |Intimate partner violence is different to complex GBV

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