11-Year-Old Boy Dies After Stray Bullet From Gang Fight Hits Him In Head

An 11-year-old boy died after he was struck by a stray bullet that was allegedly shot during a gang fight in Cape Town, South Africa, on Tuesday.

The boy, identified as Duran Visagie, had gone to a shop to buy chips after returning from school Tuesday afternoon when the incident took place.

"He went to the spaza shop in Carmen Street to buy him a packet of chips but there was a shooting and he was hit in the head. We went to look for him and as we turned the corner, we saw his body lying on the pavement," his grandfather Piet Visagie told local website Independent Online.

The boy, a grade 5 student, was rushed to a local hospital and was later transferred to a bigger hospital where he was declared brain dead and put on life support. On Wednesday morning, his life support system was switched off.

"There was nothing they could do to save his life, the bullet was stuck in his head. His mother was with him when they turned off the machines at 11 a.m.," his grandfather told the website.

Investigation into the case was ongoing and no arrests were made in the case as of Thursday.

"A case of murder was registered for investigation, and no arrests have been made yet. Anyone with information is kindly requested to contact Kraaifontein SAPS detectives at 082 469 3319," Police Spokesperson FC Van Wyk said.

The boy’s grandfather told the website that Duran’s mother was nine months pregnant. He also said that the boy’s father, who was a policeman in another city, was on the way home.

The incident comes months after a 5-year-old Texas boy died after he was shot by a stray bullet. Jordan Allen Jr. was making TikTok videos on the balcony of his home when he was hit by a stray bullet. He was rushed to a hospital where he died a week later.