“They Just Started Shooting”: 12 Killed in Brazen Night Attack on Johannesburg Settlement.

In yet another deadly outburst of violence to shake South Africa’s largest city, a group of more than 10 attackers climbed out of a minibus late Tuesday night and opened fire on residents in an informal settlement in the Cleveland suburb of Johannesburg. By the time the shooting stopped, 12 people were dead and at least nine others were wounded.

Police say the attackers moved methodically through the settlement, firing at people in multiple spots before piling back into the same vehicle and speeding away. Eleven victims died at the scene; a twelfth passed away later in the hospital. Among the dead are nine men and three women.

So far, no arrests have been made. Authorities haven’t released a clear motive, but the attack has all the hallmarks of the gang related violence that has plagued the area especially from illegal mining operations, which are known to operate in and around Cleveland.

“What we have seen here is a criminal act heartless,” said police commissioner Tommy Mthombeni, who stopped short of blaming mining gangs until the investigation is complete. “We have deployed all required units, including crime intelligence and forensic experts.”

This is the latest in a string of mass shootings that have shaken South Africa. Just last December, two separate attacks left more than 20 people dead, one of which also involved multiple shooters.

Local residents say informal settlements crowded neighborhoods of shacks and makeshift homes are often the most vulnerable, with little lighting, security, or emergency response. For now, the community is left waiting as police search for clues and families bury their dead.