VENTERSBURG – A 37-year-old man arrested in connection with the alleged fatal shooting of two men at a Ventersburg tavern is expected to appear in the Ventersburg Magistrate’s Court- today (Monday, 13 October). The suspect is facing two counts of murder.
The incident that reportedly sent shockwaves through the Free State town happened on the night of Saturday, 11 October.
Sgt Palesa Thabana, spokesperson for the police in the Lejweleputswa district, said the suspect was arrested shortly after the fatal shooting of the victims aged 29 and 41. According to the information received, she said the victims were fatally shot after a heated disagreement escalated from simmering tension to an open and uncontrolled fight or outburst at a tavern.
Thabana said members of the Ventersburg police were alerted to the shooting at the local tavern at about 21:30. “On arrival at the scene, members discovered one African male lying unresponsive near the entrance of the liquor establishment and another victim lying motionless inside the tavern. The two African males were pronounced dead at the scene after they were allegedly shot by the same suspect,” she said.
According to the information received, Thabana said the trio, including the suspect, were playing a game of pool at the tavern when an argument erupted between them, resulting in a brawl in the venue. “It is alleged that the suspect was attacked by the two male victims, and then the suspect allegedly went outside, and upon his return to the tavern, he took out a firearm and allegedly shot both victims, fatally wounding them,” said Thabana.
