A memorial service for a local female politician turned into a horrific crime scene Tuesday night when a gunman opened fire on a group of mourners outside the venue.
The bloody attack unfolded in Katlehong township, located just southeast of Johannesburg, as attendees were stepping out into the evening air.
Police officers dispatched to the scene initially confirmed that two men died on the pavement immediately following the burst of gunfire.
By Wednesday, authorities updated the death toll to four after two additional victims succumbed to critical wounds inside a local hospital.
At least three other people suffered bullet wounds during the assault, including a child who was rushed to emergency care alongside adult survivors.
Local news reports revealed that the four young men killed in the ambush were active members of the African National Congress Youth League.
The memorial service they attended honored a female ANC leader who was herself gunned down earlier this month in what police suspect was a targeted political hit.
Following the shooting, the alleged gunman walked into a nearby police station and surrendered to law enforcement officers without further incident.
The South African Police Service handed the ongoing murder investigation over to a specialized political killings task team as community tension mounts ahead of nationwide local elections set for November 4.
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