A 20-year-old was arrested in Diepkloof for his alleged role in the Westbury shooting that killed two teens and injured five.
Anti-gang unit (AGU) officers have arrested a 20-year-old suspect linked to last week’s deadly suspected gang-related shooting in Westbury that left two teenagers dead and five injured.
Westbury came to a standstill last Wednesday, 22 October. A deadly mass shooting on Croesus Street killed two teenagers and injured five others.
Four teenage suspects from a rival gang allegedly shot the victims, who are between 14 and 19 years old.
Police arrest suspect in Westbury teen double murder
The incident resulted in a double murder and five counts of attempted murder cases.
Brigadier Brenda Muridili, the Gauteng police spokesperson, said on Thursday that AGU members received crucial information.
The information came on Wednesday from the Crime Intelligence Unit regarding the location of one of the suspects.
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“Following a thorough briefing, the AGU operationalised this information and successfully identified the suspect’s whereabouts at a high school in Diepkloof,” Muridili said.
When the police officers arrived at the school, they positively identified the 20-year-old suspect and placed him under arrest.
Authorities expect him to appear before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 31 October 2025.
Hunt continues for remaining suspects
Muridili confirmed that investigations are ongoing to track down the remaining suspects. She added that the hospital has discharged two of the five injured teenagers.
The police urged the public to assist in the investigation. They asked for any relevant information on the suspects’ whereabouts.
Callers can contact the South African Police Service (Saps) Crime Stop line at 08600 10111. Callers can remain anonymous.
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National police commissioner Fannie Masemola, who visited the area last week, announced a hunt for the suspects. He said he could not circulate photos of the boys, as they are all minors.
The commissioner said suspects shot the victims outside a “lolly lounge” – a house where teenagers go to take drugs.
Police were also investigating the sources of the firearms, with Masemola saying adults were recruiting youths for gang activities.
Gang activity
“We are indeed focusing on these handlers, and surely we will find them and make them answer as to why they are destroying the future of these young children,” said Masemola.
Meanwhile, the civil body Action Society had serious concerns. Westbury has a pattern of violence, gang control, and drug trafficking.
“Just as in the Cape Flats, there is a developing culture of silence and fear; many residents say they know who the criminals are but fear reprisals or feel the state is absent,” said spokesperson Juanita du Preez.
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Additional reporting by Jarryd Westerdale and Marizka Coetzer.
