Bishop Lavis Shooting: Two Arrested in Connection with Four Murders
Bishop Lavis,South Africa – Two 23-year-old men,Lucian Pangaker and Lytan Adams,made their first appearance in the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday,facing four counts of murder following a brutal shooting that claimed the lives of four individuals,including an 80-year-old woman.
The deadly attack occurred on Friday,July 11,around 7:15 PM,when the suspects allegedly stormed a residence on Reenberg Street and opened fire. The victims, two women and two men aged between 27 and 80, were pronounced dead at the scene. Police reported that the assailants were masked and fled in a VW Polo.
The court heard that Pangaker has yet to secure legal depiction, leading to a postponement of the case to Friday, July 18. Adams and his co-accused are both confirmed by Deputy Police Commissioner major-General Bongani Maqashalala to have links to gangs, though specific details remain undisclosed due to ongoing investigations and witness safety concerns.
Maqashalala confirmed the suspects’ gang affiliations, stating, “We managed to get the two accused who appeared before the court today. We are certain they are linked. Both are members of gangs.”
He also revealed that the targeted household had been previously approached. “On July 3, two men with balaclavas whent to the same house looking for a young man who lives there. That boy had participated in gang activity, although he is not known as a gangster,” Maqashalala explained.In response to calls from the Bishop Lavis Community Policing Forum (CPF) for a judicial inquiry into gangsterism and the reinstatement of a former station commander, Maqashalala expressed SAPS’s willingness to cooperate. “As SAPS, we are prepared to listen to the CPF. We don’t know the nature of the inquiry they are calling for, but we are willing to cooperate with any legal entity to understand their concerns,” he stated. He also assured residents that redeployments are standard procedure and that capable personnel are in place.
Bishop Lavis has been identified as one of 11 gang hotspots prioritized for increased policing. Maqashalala noted that 200 officers from SAPS and another 200 in collaboration with the City of Cape Town are focusing on these areas. However, he acknowledged the challenges of securing private residences, stating, “this incident took place inside a private home – a setting we cannot always secure.”
Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Anroux Marais, commended the swift action of the Anti-Gang Unit and the detectives involved. “On behalf of the Western Cape Government, I want to congratulate the detectives for their determination and meticulous investigative work,” Marais said. “This sends out a clear message to those who think they can carry out these heinous acts.”