A Westbury mass shooting survivor (18) tells how his friend died shielding him from bullets during a gang attack.
“He took the shots meant for me.”
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These were the words of a teen survivor as he recounts the Westbury mass shooting that happened on Tuesday, 21 October.
An 18-year-old survivor of the deadly Westbury mass shooting in Joburg said he owes his life to his friend, who used his own body to shield him from the hail of bullets.
Daily Sun visited the scene on Wednesday morning, 22 October, where the teen, who was shot in the ear and leg, recounted the horrifying moment he and his friends were ambushed in broad daylight.
The shooting claimed the lives of two teenagers and left five others injured.
“We were chilling on a veranda and making jokes and chatting when people came into the yard and started shooting at us.”
“We lay down on the floor. I was shot in my ear and twice in my leg.”
“My friend saw I was shot in the ear, so he tried to protect me. He lay on me, so they shot him dead. They continued shooting at us until their mags were finished,” he said.
The teenager, who has since been discharged from hospital, said he’s scheduled to return on Monday for surgery to remove a bullet still lodged in his ear.
“I must go back on Monday to the hospital to take the bullet out of my ear. The bullet is still inside.”
He revealed that this was not the first time the house had been attacked.
“We know the suspects. This is the second time they came to shoot at this house. The first time, they shot the boy who lives here in the leg.”
“He was in the hospital for two weeks. Now they shot seven of us. The first shooting was in July,” he said.
Living in constant fear has become his reality.
“It’s dangerous. These people do not have mercy,” he said.
He believes jealousy plays a role in the violence.
“The random shooting is caused by jealousy of wearing branded clothes. Our parents spoil us, we are spoilt brats, those people are jealous of us,” he said.
The teenager said he had to drop out of school because of the gang violence that has spilled into classrooms.
“I was in grade 10 and left school last year. However, I’m planning on going back.”
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The deceased have been identified as 18-year-old Tigan du Plessis and 17-year-old Diegan Ryters.
“Justice must be served for my two friends. They were funny and always smiling,” he added.
