Alleged gangster killed in mob justice

Two people were killed and one injured in two separate gang-related shootings in Helenvale over the weekend.

This brings to five the death toll in gang-related shootings since the start of March.Bevan Francis, 27, was shot and killed inside a yard of a house in Chamois Road, at about 9:30am on Sunday.

Shortly after Francis was shot, residents managed to catch the alleged hitman, Lorenzo Jansen, 20, and killed him.

The house borders an open field that links up to the Hartebees Street.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said Francis was standing in the yard of a neighbour’s house when Jansen allegedly climbed over the back fence and shot him.

“The gunman allegedly tried to run away by trying to scale the back fence,” she said. “The community, however, saw him (Jansen) and caught him inside the yard.”

They pelted bricks and stones at him. “During the assault, Jansen sustained multiple wounds to his head and body. He also sustained gunshot wounds,” she said.

Naidu said someone took the firearm and hid them in the shack behind the house.

“The firearm was recovered a short while later. The pistol was reported stolen in Mount Road in September 2018,” she said.

On Friday, an 18-year-old was shot and wounded in a suspected gang-related shooting.The man, who is not being named for his protection, was found lying in Fitchart Road - one street away from where Francis was killed.

Naidu said the incident took place at about 8pm on Friday, when the victim and two friends were walking in the street.The victim and two friends went to a shop in Fitchardt Road when the suspect approached from behind and stood behind him.

“The suspect produced a firearm and fired one shot at the victim’s head and ran away. He sustained a bullet wound behind his ear,” she said.

The suspect then fled. Police do not suspect that the shootings are related.Since the beginning of the month, three people were killed in separate gang-related incidents.

On March 5, Bramley Van Wyk, 36, was gunned down after two men driving a car chased him down Second Ave in Windvogel, near Helenvale, and shot him.

The previous day, Charles Bibby, 45, was shot and killed in Barberry Road, Arcadia. On March 1, Billy Kleinhans, 54, in Mistletoe Street, Arcadia.

All the cases are under investigation by the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit.