“They Say I’m Next”: Westbury Grandmother Living in Fear After Mass Shooting That Claimed Two Teens

“They Say I’m Next”: Fear and Heartbreak Grip Westbury After Deadly Shooting

The streets of Westbury, once filled with the sound of children playing and neighbours chatting over fences, now echo with fear. The community is reeling after a mass shooting on Croesus Street that left two teenagers dead and five others injured and a grandmother too scared to sleep at night.

At 70 years old, Maureen Davis has seen her share of hardship. But nothing, she says, compares to the horror of watching her grandchildren gunned down and then receiving death threats from the same people believed to be behind the attack.

“They say I’m next,” she told reporters, her voice trembling. “They’re threatening me on Facebook. They said they’re coming back for me.”

A Shooting That Shook the Community

The shooting happened around 1 p.m. on Tuesday, when four men, three of them armed approached a group of teenagers gathered outside a home on Croesus Street. Without a word, they opened fire, sending bullets ripping through the quiet afternoon.

When the chaos ended, 18-year-old Tigan du Plessis and 17-year-old Diegan Ryters lay dead. Five others, including Davis’s grandchildren, were rushed to hospital.

The attack has been linked to the Fast Guns gang, who allegedly accused the victims of belonging to a rival group known as the Varados, a claim the grandmother firmly denies.

“These are just children,” she said. “They go to school, they dress nicely, they hang out with friends. That’s all. But the gangsters label them just because of who they talk to.”

“We Were Just Sitting There… Then They Started Shooting”

One of the survivors, an 18-year-old boy, described the terrifying moment the gunmen stormed into the yard.

“We were just sitting on the veranda, joking and chatting,” he said from his hospital bed. “Then we saw people coming in, and they just started shooting. I got hit in the ear and leg. My friend lay on top of me to protect me, they shot him dead.”

The teen believes jealousy may have played a part in the violence.
“It’s jealousy over clothes,” he said quietly. “Our parents spoil us. We dress well. That’s why they don’t like us.”

“There’s No Mercy Here Anymore”

For residents, the tragedy feels like part of a vicious cycle, one that’s been spinning for decades in this part of Johannesburg.

“This is not the first time they’ve attacked this house,” the survivor revealed. “They shot here in July too. It’s the same group. Everyone knows who they are.”

According to him, the orders came from a local gang boss, an older man who allegedly sent younger recruits to carry out the shooting.
“This is a big guy,” he said. “He’s the one who gives the orders. We all know his face.”

A Community Tired of Burying Its Children

Westbury, long scarred by gang rivalries and drug wars, has been trapped in a cycle of violence that often pulls in the young and innocent. Locals say the police are slow to act, and that fear silences witnesses before justice can ever be done.

“They sit right there, on the stoep, every day,” said Davis, pointing down the road. “Even when the pastor walks past, they don’t hide. Everyone knows who they are, but nothing happens.”

Her frustration echoes across the community, where parents now escort children to school and neighbours check in on one another through locked gates.

Police Investigation and Arrest Rumours

Davis said she’s heard that three of the four alleged gunmen have been arrested, though police have not confirmed this.

“We have four names,” she said. “People are saying three were taken in. I hope it’s true.”

Police spokespersons have confirmed they know the suspects’ identities and that investigations are ongoing.

But for Davis, no amount of arrests can erase what happened or the fear that it could happen again.

“I don’t sleep,” she admitted softly. “Every sound makes me jump. I just keep praying for my grandchildren to heal… and for this to stop.”

A Cry for Help from a Forgotten Neighbourhood

The Westbury shooting isn’t just another crime story, it’s a snapshot of a community left to fend for itself. Locals have been calling for stronger policing, youth outreach, and gang intervention programmes for years.

Yet, for now, it’s the elderly like Maureen Davis who carry the weight, watching over children who never asked to be caught between territorial wars and street egos.

On social media, messages of support for the grandmother have poured in, with many South Africans calling for justice.

“This woman’s bravery breaks my heart,” one user posted. “Westbury deserves peace. These children deserve a future.”

As police hunt for the gunmen, one question remains, how many more grandmothers in Westbury must live in fear before something changes?

{Source: IOL}

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