Atteridgeville mass shooting: Victims' bodies collected 12 hours later, death toll increases

WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS GRAPHIC DETAILS

More than 12 hours after a mass shooting in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria, police started removing the victims' bodies on Saturday afternoon.

Moreover, the death toll in the Atteridgeville mass shooting has risen.

Twelve people were killed when three men stormed a tavern and opened fire on patrons around 4am on Saturday.

In total, 25 people were shot, and survivors are currently receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.

While the mass shooting occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning, the bodies remained at the scene throughout the day.

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Videos shared by community members show the victims piled on one another, with blood covering the floor.

Families of the deceased watched in pain, and some in tears, as the remains of their loved ones were loaded into a forensics truck.

Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said the recent increase in mass shootings in the province is deeply concerning.

“Of the deceased, three are minor children. The youngest are aged three, 12 and 16. We are told that the three-year-old is the child of the owner of the tavern.”

Police are searching for three men responsible for the mass shooting.