CCTV Footage Becomes Key as Police Hunt Gunman in DJ Warras Murder

CCTV Footage Becomes Key as Police Hunt Gunman in DJ Warras Murder

The murder of DJ Warras, a familiar voice in South African media circles, has shifted into a crucial new phase as police zero in on suspects captured on CCTV in Johannesburg’s inner city.

Warrick Stock, known professionally as DJ Warras, was shot and killed shortly after midday on Tuesday, 16 December, outside Zambesi House in the Johannesburg CBD. The shooting unfolded in full view of cameras footage that police now say is central to their investigation.

DJ Warras was shot and killed on CCTV while trying to protect a building. In South Africa criminals answer to no one. They strike anyone, anytime, even in a full view of the people & vanish while the law sleeps. Fear has become normal, and justice is a stranger. pic.twitter.com/kzdxirQuMn

Man’s NOT Barry Roux (@AdvoBarryRoux) December 16, 2025

What the Cameras Reveal

According to Gauteng Acting Provincial Commissioner Major-General Fred Kekana, video footage shows a short man with dreadlocks approaching Warras as he exited the building.

The suspect is seen opening fire at close range before fleeing the scene on foot, ruling out early claims of a drive-by shooting. Another individual, believed to have been wearing security-style clothing, was also present nearby at the time of the attack.

Investigators confirmed that spent cartridges were recovered at the scene, and police are actively searching for the firearm used in the killing.

Not a Random Attack

Kekana stressed that this was not a hit carried out from a moving vehicle, a detail that has shifted how detectives are reading the crime.

Footage allegedly shows the primary suspect sitting near Warras’s vehicle before the shooting a detail that suggests planning rather than chance. Both suspects are believed to have walked a significant distance after the attack, and officers are now tracing their movements through surrounding streets.

A Complicated Crime Scene

The shooting happened opposite the Carlton Centre, one of Johannesburg’s most recognisable landmarks and one surrounded by densely occupied buildings.

Police say the investigation has been complicated by the fact that many occupants in nearby buildings are unauthorised, making it harder to track witnesses and movements.

Kekana confirmed that Warras was allegedly a co-owner of Zambesi House, and investigators are now probing the building’s ownership structure as well as who was occupying it at the time of the killing.

Motive Still Unclear

While online speculation has linked the murder to hijacked buildings and inner-city property disputes, police have not confirmed any motive.

“We are keeping an open mind,” Kekana said, adding that all possible angles are being investigated.

In a city where disputes over property, security contracts and access control often escalate into violence, the killing has reignited wider conversations about safety in the CBD, particularly for those operating in contested urban spaces.

Public Reaction and Police Appeal

News of the CCTV footage has triggered intense discussion on social media, with many users calling for swift arrests and better protection for witnesses in the inner city.

Police have urged anyone with information to come forward.

“We know the suspects walked a long distance after the shooting,” Kekana said. “Tracking where they went is critical.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Johannesburg Central SAPS or call 08600 10111.

As the manhunt continues, the murder of DJ Warras stands as another grim reminder of how quickly daylight violence can erupt in the heart of South Africa’s biggest city and how vital every camera, witness and lead has become.

{Source: The South African}

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