A lawyer is among the three people who survived a shooting at the Booysens Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg this morning.

Southern Courier reports that, according to Gauteng SAPS, five people were shot at the court’s main entrance. Two died on the scene, while three were rushed to hospital for treatment.

Gauteng SAPS head of communications Brigadier Brenda Muridili said police officers deployed at the court heard gunshots and rushed to the scene.

“As they went out, they saw that there was a shooting that had just occurred, then they called the Booysens Police Station,” she said.

Gunmen opened fire as relatives left court

Preliminary reports indicate that a group of family members and relatives were leaving the court after attending a case. As they were heading down the stairs, three gunmen opened fire.

The shooting resulted in two people dying on the scene, while three others were taken to hospital.

Two victims were taken to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital and one was taken to Netcare Milpark Hospital.

Suspects fled in cloned vehicle

Muridili said the suspects fled on foot but were later picked up by a white Audi, which has since been confirmed as a cloned vehicle.

“The original vehicle, as they were looking on the system, is a vehicle that is currently parked and broken. The number plates are the same, but it is a different car from the original,” she explained.

Forensic services and the SAPS Violent Crime Unit are investigating the incident as two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder.

Surviving victim identified

One of the surviving victims has been identified as a lawyer representing an accused.

Muridili said the accused was appearing in connection with an April 2025 murder and attempted murder case that occurred in Mondeor.

Security not flagged as high risk

When asked about how such incidents can be prevented, Muridili said the Department of Justice’s security team works closely with SAPS to strengthen security when a case is known to be high-risk.

However, she added, this particular case was not flagged as one that could lead to violence.

“It was not rated as one of those cases that can give a challenge in terms of altercations or fights happening at the court or maybe revenge or something like that,” she said.

Man injured in panic

A man was treated at the scene earlier today after he ran and fell when gunshots were heard.

Emergency responders attended to him immediately, providing first aid before he was moved to a safer area. Witnesses say he became disoriented and injured after the sudden panic, prompting medical staff to act quickly.

The situation remains tense as police continue to secure the area.

It is believed the group was attending a court appearance linked to a Mondeor murder case.

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