PE man shot 15 times after car runs dry
A Port Elizabeth man was gunned down outside his car after it ran dry and lurched to a halt in Old Stanford Road while he was on his way to visit a friend.
Bevon Kelly, 28, was shot 15 times as he returned to his VW Golf shortly after 7pm on Monday after walking to a nearby service station to buy petrol.
He was found lying in a pool of blood next to the car in Helenvale and died in hospital a short while later.
Police found several spent bullet cartridges at the scene after they had been alerted to gunshots in the area by residents.
Kelly’s devastated father, Shane, 48, said on Tuesday that they were all still in shock.
“We do not understand why this happened – why someone would do this,” he said at their home in Scholtz Street, Bloemendal.
“His girlfriend is two months’ pregnant with his first child and he was so excited about it.
“It is so sad that he will not be here to meet his child.”The distraught dad said Kelly had managed to talk briefly to his mother, Irene, 43, in hospital shortly before he died.
“He was not making much sense but, from what he said, it sounds like he ran out of petrol while on the way to visit a friend in Gelvandale.
“He then walked to the service station to buy petrol and when he came back to the car, he was attacked.
“Nothing was stolen – he was just killed in cold blood.
“His shoes, rings and watch were all still on him,” he said.
They found out about the attack when the police came to the house to inform them.
“They then drove us to Livingstone Hospital so that we could see him,” he said.
When they arrived at the hospital, the doctors told the family that Kelly had been shot 15 times. He died shortly afterwards. “He [Kelly] was the eldest of seven children. The entire family is really shaken up by this,” Shane said.
“His girlfriend had to go to the doctor as she is in shock. His mother is totally devastated. I am putting on a brave face for the rest of the family.
“I have to hold it together for them, but you can see everyone is feeling the pain.”
Asked about a possible motive for the shooting, Shane said Kelly had spent several years in jail and it could perhaps be linked to his time in prison.
Kelly was convicted in 2011 of possession of a stolen car – which had been hijacked – and sentenced to seven years in prison.
“He was released on parole last year and I am not sure if this [shooting] could be linked to his time in prison or if this is just people killing because they can,” an upset Shane said.
“My son was not a gangster so I really do not know why they would do this.
“It is a mystery. I suppose we will never really know why he was killed.”Asked about Kelly’s criminal conviction, Shane said he had bought a car which had later turned out to be hijacked and led to his arrest.
“He was devoted to church and was loved by everyone. He loved living here.
“All the people in the area have been stopping by the house. He touched so many lives and helped people where he could.”
Shane urged the police to track down and arrest his son’s murderers.
“We cannot have people being attacked and killed for no reason. We want answers as to why they did this to our son.”
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Alwin Labans said the VW Golf driven by Kelly had run out of petrol and it appeared that he was attacked on returning to the vehicle.
“The exact details of what happened are unknown and it is unclear how many suspects were involved,” he said.
“A 5l bottle filled with petrol was found next to the car.”
Labans said robbery had been ruled out as a motive.
He said Kelly was not linked to any gangs and the attack was not gang-related.
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