At least 12 people died and 9 others were wounded in a mass shooting at the Jumpers informal settlement in Cleveland, a suburb about 6 kilometers east of central Johannesburg, South Africa. The attack occurred shortly after 11 p.m. local time on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4].
More than 10 armed suspects arrived in a white Toyota Quantum minibus and entered the informal settlement through two entrances. They opened fire on residents at multiple locations before fleeing the scene in the same vehicle, the South African Police said. "It is alleged that more than 10 suspects were dropped off by a white Toyota Quantum near a petrol station in Cleveland," police stated. "The suspects allegedly entered the informal settlement through both entrances and moved through the area, opening fire on residents and community members at multiple locations before fleeing the scene in the same vehicle" [1].
Eight men and three women were declared dead at the scene, with one additional man later dying in hospital, authorities said. Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the casualties: "Eight adult males and three adult females were declared dead at the scene" [3].
Police have launched a manhunt for the suspects but have made no arrests as of Wednesday morning. The motive for the attack remains unknown and is under investigation, according to officials [1, 5, 3].
South Africa has one of the world’s highest murder rates, with an average of about 60 murders daily. Authorities note that recent mass shootings in Johannesburg have sometimes been linked to illegal mining gangs and gang violence, though it is not yet clear if that is related in this case [1, 2, 6].
Police responded to reports of the shooting at 11:10 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, and publicly announced the death toll and injuries on Wednesday, June 10, along with a call for information about the suspects [1, 4, 7]. The investigation and manhunt remain ongoing.
