Manhunt Intensifies for Ninth Suspect in Free State Shooting Case Involving Police Officers
- The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has widened its investigation into a deadly shooting in Bultfontein
- The case relates to an incident in September 2024, where three civilians and a police constable were killed
- Eight police officers were arrested on Saturday, 11 April 2026, and are facing four counts of murder
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Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
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FREE STATE, BULTFONTEIN - The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has launched a manhunt for a ninth suspect linked to a fatal shooting in Bultfontein, Free State, which left three civilians and a police constable dead.
Eight police officers arrested
According to EWN, the shooting took place in September 2024 and reportedly followed a domestic dispute that escalated. Eight police officers were arrested on Saturday, 11 April 2026, in connection with the incident and are facing four counts of murder. The IPID said the officers are currently being held in Welkom and are due to appear in the Bultfontein Magistrate's Court on Monday, 13 April 2026.
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Spokesperson Lizzy Suping said the incident involved a high-intensity tactical move, during which officers allegedly carried out a tactical entry into a house and discharged their firearms. She added that 43 empty cartridge cases were collected at the scene. The investigation further found that all four victims, including three members of one family and the police constable, died from gunshot injuries.
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Other shooting incidents in SA
A 6-year-old girl is fighting for her life after being shot in the head this morning on Eleanor Street in Valhalla Park. According to reports, she was caught in the crossfire between two rival gangs. Neighbours described hearing multiple gunshots around 9 a.m., followed by frantic calls for help. The child was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital by ambulance. Her family and community are in shock, grappling with the trauma of a young life endangered by escalating gang violence.
A series of fatal shootings across several Cape Flats areas between 31 March and the morning of 1 April 2026 left multiple people dead and others wounded. In Manenberg, three people were killed, and three others were wounded in separate shooting incidents reported in Elbe Street, Tousberg Street and Renoster Street. A man was shot and critically wounded in Yusuf Gool Street, Athlone and an adult male was shot dead in Katdoring Street, Mitchells Plain, on Tuesday night, 31 March 2026.
An off-duty South African National Defence Force (SANDF) member has become the latest victim of the ongoing gun violence in the Western Cape. The 37-year-old male, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds, was found dead in Kokaboom Street, Delft South. He was found by members from Delft Police Station who responded to complaints of a shooting at approximately 10 pm on 8 April 2026. Police noted that there was no link between the soldier and Operation Prosper.
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Source: Briefly News
