11-Year-Old Soweto Boy Shoots Himself With Father’s Gun, SAPS Arrest Dad
- An 11-year-old boy from Soweto killed himself with his father's gun, which is believed to be stolen from another location
- He was playing with his friends and ran to his father's room to show the firearm to them when it went off
- South Africans debated about the incident, as some believed the child should not have known anything about the gun
Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered police investigations and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.
Source: Getty Images
SOWETO, GAUTENG — The South African Police Service arrested a man after his son killed himself with his gun, which allegedly did not belong to him.
Soweto child shoots himself
SowetanLIVE reported that the incident took place in Soweto on 2 July. The 11-year-old boy was playing with his friends when he allegedly suddenly ran into the house. He fetched the gun and started playing with it, showing it to his friends. The gun went off, and his friends escaped unharmed.
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The police added that the firearm that was used was reportedly stolen from the West Rand. The man has been arrested and charged with culpable homicide. The police also suspected that the family may have tampered with the crime scene. Police spokesperson Sergeant Anthony Kholo said the grandmother and the father removed the cartridges and gun from the scene.
South Africans discuss the incident
Netizens on Facebook debated about what happened.
Fhathuwani TF Tshivhombela said:
"Imagine your son taking his life with the stolen firearm. He does not even have a safe because it was not licensed."
Mo'Afrika Mafora replied:
"Eish, my brother, it's a disgrace."
Lucky Nhlanhla Tshabalala said:
"The kid was old enough to realise how dangerous the gun is. May he rest in peace."
Tebogo Lesley Chauke:
"We have toy guns these days looking like firearms. Malema is in court today for the rifle he fired at the EFF gathering. He says it's a toy, but it sounds like a real gun."
Family demands answers after Fikile Mbalula's bodyguard allegedly shot himself
In a similar article, Briefly News reported that the family of the African National Congress's Secretary General Fikile Mbalula's bodyguard wanted answers after he allegedly killed himself.
The bodyguard was arrested during a roadblock, and the police said he shot himself with his gun. His family had questions, including how he retained his gun in the holding cells.
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Source: Briefly News
