The Walmer mass shooting left four people dead in Airport Valley, Gqeberha, during the early hours of Friday, April 17, 2026. Eastern Cape police said the victims were found inside a shack on Ndlovu Street, all with fatal gunshot wounds.

Police have opened four murder cases and launched a manhunt. By Friday morning, no arrests had been announced and investigators said the motive remained unclear.

Police launch manhunt after Walmer mass shooting

According to Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana, officers were dispatched at about 12:34am after a shooting complaint was reported through radio control. Police went to a property on Ndlovu Street in Airport Valley, Walmer, where a complainant led them to a shack on the premises.

Inside, officers found the bodies of four victims: two brothers aged 20 and 22, a 19-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl. Police said all four had suffered fatal gunshot wounds. The 22-year-old man had a gunshot wound to the right side of his face, while his younger brother was shot twice on the right side of his face. Both female victims were shot in the head, according to the police account reported by local media.

Motive remains unknown as investigation continues

The Walmer mass shooting is still under investigation, and police have not named any suspects. The complainant told officers he had briefly left the property to go to a nearby shop and found the victims when he returned, according to police.

Gantana said the motive “remains unknown” and forms part of the ongoing investigation. That means the immediate focus is on tracing those responsible and securing witness information that could help detectives.

Police appeal for information

Police have urged anyone with information about the Walmer mass shooting to contact Lieutenant Colonel Monde Sithole on 082 457 2812 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111. Authorities said all information would be treated as confidential.

By late morning on Friday, April 17, 2026, no arrests had been reported in connection with the killings.