[imagesource:Kaizer Chiefs]

South African footballer and Olympian Luke Fleurs has been killed in a hijacking in Johannesburg, his Kaizer Chiefs club said on Thursday.

The shooting took place at a petrol station on Wednesday night in the Johannesburg suburb of Florida, BBC reports.

The 24-year-old Kaizer Chiefs player was waiting to be attended to when he was approached by unknown men carrying guns, who ordered him to get out of the car.

“The suspects pointed [at] him with a firearm and took him out of his vehicle, then shot him once on the upper body,” Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said.

Another of the suspects is reported to have fled the scene with Fleurs’ car after the shooting.

“Luke Fleurs tragically lost his life last night during a hijacking incident in Johannesburg. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time,” Kaizer Chiefs said in a statement.

The police are investigating a case of murder and car hijacking.

Fleurs was a star football player, having previously played for the national under-23 side, representing South Africa at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Fleurs joined Kaizer Chiefs last year as a defender, having previously played for SuperSport United. He had not yet played for the senior national team but was reported to be nearing his debut.

Dreams do come true🖤💛 pic.twitter.com/rWQiFQeSIS

— Luke fleurs (@fleurs_luke) October 27, 2023

On their website, Kaizer Chiefs describe Fleurs as a “classy defender” with “great technical abilities”.

Sports Minister Zizi Kodwa said he was “saddened that yet another life has been cut short due to violent crime”.

The latest official crime statistics from October to December last year showed 5,973 hijacking cases reported.

[source:bbc]