Journalists confronted at Marlboro Sasol after targeted shooting kills man

A man was shot dead at a Sasol filling station in Marlboro, Sandton, on Friday morning, in what police have described as a targeted attack that left journalists covering the scene facing intimidation.

What happened

Brigadier Brenda Muridili, a police spokesperson, confirmed that the shooting occurred at approximately 08:00 and that a murder case has been opened. Officers are searching for two suspects believed to have been involved.

According to Briefly News, the victim had stepped out of a white Toyota Fortuner belonging to Blackout Tactical Security Services and was waiting for his bodyguards when two armed, unknown suspects ambushed him. The attackers fired at least eight shots. Nothing was taken from the victim, who was declared dead at the scene. The suspects fled in a vehicle heading toward Sandton.

Witnesses and immediate response

Briefly News reported that several bystanders watched the attack. A petrol attendant and two bakery workers told reporters they took cover when the shooting began. The motive for the attack has not been established.

Intimidation of journalists at the scene

Journalists from News24 who arrived to cover the incident were confronted by a group identifying themselves as the victim’s family. The group was accompanied by an armed private security operative wearing a Blackout Tactical Security Services uniform. The group ordered reporters to stop taking photographs and to leave the area.

There would be “problems” if they did not comply,

Briefly News quoted the victim’s father issuing that warning to the reporters.

Ongoing investigation

Police have registered a murder case and said officers are working to locate and arrest the two suspects who fled the scene.

Other notes from Briefly News

According to Briefly News, Blackout Tactical Security Services had not provided a comment at the time of publication. Briefly News also included a prompt about marking the outlet as a preferred source so its content appears higher in Google feeds.

Briefly News lists Tebogo Mokwena as the author of the original report and describes him as a senior current affairs writer with a Diploma in Journalism from ALISON who joined Briefly News in 2023.