At least 17 people were killed and 15 others wounded in a shooting at a tavern in South Africa’s Gauteng province, police said. Emergency medical services declared all 17 victims dead at the scene in Wedela township, southwest of Johannesburg.

The motive for the shooting was not immediately known, the South African Police Service said early on Sunday. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

Police are searching for eight suspects who were “reportedly armed with AK-47 rifles and pistols.” No arrests have been made so far.

South Africa has seen a rise in violent crime and mass shootings in recent years. The government often attributes such attacks to criminal gangs, but critics argue that law enforcement failures and easy access to illegal firearms contribute to the persistent violence.

Source: www.aljazeera.com