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'He was still breathing when people picked him up to take him to the hospital, but he died in the car on the way.'
Image used for illustration. Picture: iStock.
A child was shot dead in Westbury on Tuesday morning, allegedly by gang members who continue to roam the area armed, according to distressed residents.
The shooting took place around 9 am on Crema Street.
Boy shot dead in Westbury as ‘gang members roam freely’
“He was shot through the head and throat,” a resident, who only wanted to be referred to as Natasha, told The Citizen.
“He was still breathing when people picked him up to take him to the hospital, but he died in the car on the way.”
Metro services ‘nowhere to be seen’
Residents say calls to emergency services, including both the South African Police Service (Saps) and Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), went unanswered.
“We phoned the police, but they didn’t come out. We also called Metro, but not one person came,” Natasha said.
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Frustration and trauma were evident in her voice.
“We are so traumatised. It’s not right what these children are doing. They’re running up and down with guns and no one stops them.”
According to the resident, the violence has continued throughout the day.
“They’re running around here with guns. They even went to shoot near the schools. The community is not safe.”
At the time of publishing, JMPD and the Gauteng Department of Health had responded to queries about the incident. Any update will be included once received.
This is a developing story
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