Staff Reporter
Free State police have announced the death of a second University of the Free State (UFS) student following an off-campus robbery incident in the early hours of Wednesday in Phuthaditjhaba, QwaQwa.
The Free Stater initially reported that some students living at an off-campus residence in QwaQwa were attacked by unknown assailants in leaving one student dead and two others in hospital with critical injuries.
But in a statement released Thursday afternoon, provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Sam Makhele said two male students died on the scene while the other two were rushed to hospital.
However, one of those who died on the scene was not a UFS student but was studying at a different college in the area.
This means a total of three male students have perished from the attack, two of them from the UFS.
According to the police, a group of young men renting rooms at Botjhabela Village near Phuthaditjhaba were allegedly attacked and shot by unknown suspects in balaclavas who demanded cash, laptops and cellphones from them.
The incident happened at about 00:40.
Makhele said police were called to the scene of the shooting at about 1am and upon arrival they found a group of students believed to be from the UFS QwaQwa campus.
“The police found two bodies of males lying on the ground with fatal gunshot wounds,” said Makhele.
“They were identified by their friends. The other two male students had already been rushed to Mofumahadi Manapo Regional Hospital and were in a critical condition,” he explained.
According to the police, it is alleged the students were having a party and drinking when the assailants pounced on them demanding cash, laptops and cellphones.
The exact number of items stolen is yet to be determined.
The names of the deceased and injured cannot be released until their next of kin have been informed.
Police are investigating a case of double murder and double attempted murders as well as house robbery.
No arrests have been made and police are appealing to anyone with information that may lead to the arrests and conviction of the suspects to contact Colonel Morena Motloung of Phuthaditjhaba Detective Service on 082 479 3313 and Captain Boy Makubu on 082 332 3418 or Crime Stop, 08600 10111 or MySapsApp.