Cape Town – A family in Retreat is reeling after their 17-year-old daughter, Kimberly Kirsty George, who was also pregnant, was brutally shot and killed. The family believes she was targeted because she may have witnessed a separate shooting nearby.
A 33-year-old relative, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Daily Voice that Kimberly was walking along Sonata Street when a gunman approached her. The incident occurred shortly after a man was shot and killed in a nearby house.
"She just walked passed the house where they had just shot a Mongrel," the relative explained. "We don’t know if they thought she saw the shooting, but he turned and started shooting her in the head, chest and stomach."
As gunshots echoed through the street, Kimberly's friends frantically searched for her, only to find her lying wounded in the street. "Her best friend ran to her and her eyes were closed, but she could still speak and said she is in pain and asked for her aunty that raised her but she later passed away on the scene," the relative recounted.
The family revealed that Kimberly had only shared the news of her pregnancy with them the previous week. "She knew she was about four months pregnant but did not know the gender yet," the relative said. The family is struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. "The family is devastated because her stomach was showing so he knew he was shooting a pregnant female. To lose a child and grandchild like this there aren’t words to describe."
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi confirmed the shooting and stated that an investigation is underway. "Steenberg police responded to a complaint on Saturday and upon arrival in Sonata Street, they found the body of a female who sustained a gunshot wound. The victim was declared deceased on the scene by the medical personnel," Swartbooi said.
Swartbooi also confirmed that a 26-year-old man was killed in a separate incident. "Another victim, a male aged 26 was transported to a nearby hospital and also declared deceased. The suspect fled and are yet to be arrested. The motive for this attack is yet to be determined…"
The community is in mourning as police continue to search for the suspect(s) responsible for these senseless acts of violence.
