South Africa police launch manhunt after 17 killed in tavern shooting

Sept 27 — South African police said on ​Sunday they had launched a manhunt after 17 people were ‌killed and 15 wounded in a shooting at ⁠a tavern in ​Wedela township ⁠southwest of Johannesburg.

Emergency medical services ‌declared the 13 ‌males and 4 females dead at the ⁠scene, and ⁠the motive for the shooting was not known, the South African Police Service said in a statement posted on X.

"Suspects were reportedly ‌armed with AK-47 ​rifles and pistols," the statement said of the shooting, which occurred around 9:30 p.m. (1930 GMT) on Saturday in Gauteng province.

Fifteen other victims with gunshot wounds were transported to ​medical facilities, the police ‌said.

No arrests ‌have ⁠been made, the statement said. Suspects allegedly targeted the tavern, opening fire on customers drinking outside and then ‌moving inside to ​continue shooting, the ‌police said.

(Reporting ⁠by ​Shivani Tanna in Bengaluru; Editing by William ​Mallard)

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