South African footballer Luke Fleurs has been killed in a automotive hijacking at a petroleum station in Johannesburg. The 24-year-old Kaizer Chiefs participant was ambushed by unknown gunmen who requested him to step out of the automotive whereas ready to be attended to on the pump station.
One suspect fled with Fleurs’ automotive after the capturing, in keeping with the BBC. “The suspects pointed [at] him with a firearm and took him out of his car, then shot him as soon as on the higher physique,” Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo informed native media.
Kaizer Chiefs, a extremely prestigious membership in South Africa with 12 league titles, described the demise of Luke Fleurs as tragic. The membership acknowledged that the police had been investigating the matter and promised to share extra data later.
Sports activities Minister Zizi Kodwa stated he was “saddened that one more life has been minimize quick resulting from violent crime”.
Fleurs, a defender, had joined Kaizer Chiefs within the earlier yr, after taking part in for SuperSport United. The previous Below-23 worldwide who competed for South Africa within the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 was on the verge of creating his debut for the senior nationwide staff.
Described as a “elegant defender” with “nice technical talents” by Kaizer Chiefs on their web site, Fleurs began his profession in 2013 on the Ubuntu Cape City Academy.
The Premier Soccer League introduced {that a} second of silence will probably be noticed in any respect top-flight and second-tier video games this weekend in honor of Fleurs.
“We woke as much as the heartbreaking and devastating information of the passing of this younger life,” South African Soccer Affiliation president Danny Jordaan stated in an announcement.
“That is such an enormous loss for his household, buddies, his teammates, and soccer usually.”
Soccer followers and pundits have been paying tribute to the defender on social media.
“The soccer household has misplaced a brilliant flame,” soccer presenter Carol Tshabalala posted on social media platform X.
South Africa is dealing with a surge in gun violence, marked by quite a few mass shootings lately. Police knowledge reveal that the nation has one of many highest homicide charges globally.
