Police have arrested two suspects, aged 20 and 29, in connection with a mass shooting in Ocean View last week that claimed the lives of six men.
Provincial police spokesman Sergeant Wesley Twigg said one of the suspects was arrested on Monday April 17 and the second on Tuesday April 18.
He said both men had been charged with murder and had appeared in the Simon’s Town Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
On Thursday last week, Shark Spotter flags were flying at half-mast following the death of one of the organisation’s crew members in what police suspect was a gang-related shooting.
Christiano Hallis, 27, a member of the Shark Spotters net crew, his brother-in-law, Luciano Moerat, 20, and his neighbour, Damian Fabie, 27, were among those slain at a Neptune Lane house on Wednesday April 12.
According to police spokeswoman Brigadier Novela Potelwa, gunmen climbed out of a vehicle that pulled up in front of the house at around 10.50am and opened fire, killing five men. A sixth man was declared dead on arrival at hospital.
Detectives from the provincial Anti-Gang Unit are investigating.
Ocean View Community Police Forum chairman Mansoer Ismail said the three gunmen had fled in a car with no number plates and they had struck during load shedding, knowing the CCTV cameras would be off.
Three of the dead men are from Ocean View, and the other three are from Hanover Park, he said.
At the time of going to print, the Echo could not confirm the names of the three Hanover Park men.
Mr Ismail said the incident had stunned the community as shootings in the area had subsided due to regular operations by law enforcement and the neighbourhood watch.
He said it is suspected that Hanover Park gang members had carried out the shootings.
Community activist Vasco Vigis said gangs from “up the line” had tracked three of their rival gang members into Ocean View and the three Ocean View men had paid with their lives for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“They just shot everyone at the home at the time, killing innocent people because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said.
Mr Hallis and Mr Moerat lived in the Neptune Lane house and Mr Fabie had been visiting Mr Hallis at the time of the shooting.
Shark Spotters CEO Sarah Warries said Mr Hallis’s death was tragic.
“He worked for us since 2014 and will be greatly missed by us all.”
A friend of Mr Hallis and Mr Fabie, who asked not to be named, said he had asked Mr Hallis the week before his death to be his best man at his wedding, and Mr Hallis had replied, “Yes, yes, I was wondering when you were going to ask me.”
He said he and Mr Hallis had been friends for more than 18 years and he had “awesome” memories of their childhood.
Mr Hallis had been hard working and had worked while in school to provide for his family.
“I will always miss him and think of him. I want justice for him because he was not a gangster. He did not use any drugs and only smoked cigarettes. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said.
He said he had known Mr Fabie since 2006 and Mr Fabie and Mr Hallis had been in school together.
“He (Mr Fabie) was a soft and gentle guy and could not kill a fly. He was very polite and worked hard to provide for his family and, just like Christiano, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. They each had a young child who now has to grow up without a father,” he said.
Mr Fabie’s uncle, Wayne Petersen, said his nephew was “not a skollie but a humble, loving soul who had respect for everyone”.
Mr Ismail said he wanted to stress to the community that the Ocean View police station was open 24 hours. He urged anyone with information to come forward. Information could also be given anonymously to 08600 10111, the SMS Crime Line at 32211 or the MySAPSApp.
