A fifteen-year-old boy has been arrested and is expected to appear in court once charged with the murder of a 14-year-old girl in Eerste River.
Naeema Marshall was shot and killed on Monday at 1pm, with the suspect arrested on Tuesday.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said the boy will appear in court once charged.
“Kleinvlei police registered a murder case following a shooting incident on July 17 at 1pm at a premises in Budhi Crescent, New Forest Village, where a 14-year-old girl was shot and fatally wounded. Circumstances surrounding this incident are under investigation.
“The suspect fled the scene. The motive for this shooting incident is unknown,” Van Wyk said.
A New Forest Village community activist, who wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons, said the community was living in fear.
“I am a community worker and I stay in the area. I passed by (the girl’s house) yesterday, the police were there.
Our area is becoming very dangerous. On normal days there is no (police) visibility. The gangsters are doing as they please.
“The problem we are facing is that the community needs to be educated of their rights. We also need to be taught and educated on how to handle this situation because it could have been one of our children that could have been shot.
“I’m concerned about the family of that girl and wonder if they will receive counselling now that their girl is shot.
“The shootings have been going on for a very long time in New Forest Village. People are scared to walk in the area because there is no neighbourhood watch and the gangsters are taking over the community,” the community activist said.
Molo Songololo’s director, Patric Solomons, said the organisation felt for both families.
“It looks like the level of violence in our communities is high and guns are available to teenagers. This is a disturbing story.
The police and our communities really need to do something about guns and our children having access to guns because they use these guns to kill their peers.
“We also need to hold the people who give these children guns to account. I can imagine the parents of the girl are shocked, and the parents of the perpetrator must be shocked because he is a minor,” said Solomons.
“I hope this incident will highlight to our communities that we really need to do something about the violence in our communities, and children having access to illegal guns.”
Police urged anyone with information relating to the incident to contact Crime Stop anonymously at 08600 10111 or via the MySAPS app.
Cape Times