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A group of alleged gang members who were shot while riding on the back of a bakkie on their way from a funeral forced their way into Livingstone Hospital emergency room in a scene that medics described as ‘scary’.

The Eastern Cape’s busiest casualty unit had to go into lockdown as the bloodied men burst into the hospital following a high-speed chase.

The incident was initially reported as a shooting at the hospital, but Eastern Cape Department of Health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said there were no shots fired. “What caused alarm was that the bakkie arrived at a very high speed at the hospital and was being followed by the police,” he said.

The blue bakkie the men were travelling in was spotted earlier by a community member near a funeral service at St Michael Church in Schauderville.

Daily Maverick reported that an eyewitness to the chaos described the scene as “scary”.

“Just before I left the hospital around noon, a 4×4 bakkie with no canopy, full of youngsters at the back, came to casualty at a very high speed. Three of them had sustained gunshot wounds. They were shot while at the back of the bakkie in Schauderville on the way back from a funeral.

“When they entered the hospital, the police followed them and are still there. Three of the patients were badly affected – two had gunshots to the head and one was shot in the leg.

Although the initial reports mentioned shooting at the hospital, Kopela said the men were not expecting a gunfight at the funeral and were therefore unarmed when they arrived.

“The incident created a scary scene in casualty as everyone ran for cover and screamed for help. The situation is currently under control, and casualty staff remained calm and managed the situation very well,” the witness said.

Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said detectives were investigating a case of attempted murder.

“It is alleged that at approximately 11:30, the victims were in a Ford Ranger, double cab, and as they approached Jameson and Wild streets in Schauderville, suspects fired multiple shots at the occupants. The driver sped off. He was shot in the right lower leg, while two other occupants also sustained gunshot wounds. No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.”

While the cause of the shooting is unknown, locals believe it is tied to gang activity which has been increasing in the area lately – Livingstone Hospital casualty unit had treated patients from 35 shooting incidents in the first 28 days of December.

Last year, 180 people were killed in gang shootings in Nelson Mandela Bay. Twenty-two of them were children.

[source:dailymaverick]