Cape Town - A 26-year-old man was shot dead in front of his 2-year-old son and girlfriend in a minibus taxi in Cape Town at the weekend.
The man had been boarding a taxi at Mahogany Avenue, Bonteheuwel, with his son and girlfriend when an unknown suspect shot him dead just after 12:00 on Saturday, Western Cape police confirmed.
An eyewitness, whose identity has been concealed for her protection, told Bonteheuwel Gangwatch on Facebook that she had already been seated in the taxi when the shooting happened.
"I was in the same taxi. It was really sad," the eyewitness' post read.
"The words he told [them were]: ‘Leave my family take me anytime but not in front of them’ and when the shots went [off] he grabbed [his] family to protect."
The eyewitness, who was sitting with her own 4-year-old son, said she grabbed her son "so fast" and pushed him to the floor after the gunman pointed his firearm at the victim.
"I [lay on top] of him and the bullet passed by me and hit that poor laddie. I cried."
According to the Daily Voice, a relative claimed the man had left the Stupa gang following the birth of his son.
He was buried on Sunday.
Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Andre Traut told News24 on Monday that the circumstances around the shooting were being investigated.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
