Durban — The yard reeked of blood on Tuesday after a shooting at a house in Damet Road in Mariannhill that left six men dead and one wounded.

It is alleged that on Monday afternoon, four unknown armed men barged into the house and started shooting at the seven men inside.

According to a source who declined to be named for safety reasons, the victims were said to have been on the run from the police. They were reportedly implicated in several crimes.

He said that six of the victims were from KwaMaphulo. He said they had left their home town to live with an acquaintance in Mariannhill.

“The victims were linked to a lot of criminal activities and they posed a danger to the community.

“They were also linked to countless murders, hijacking, cash-in-transit heists and countless scams where they would sell the same housing sites to different people,” said the source.

He said the victims were drinking in the house when the shooting happened.

He said the community was concerned about the rise in mass shootings in Mariannhill.

When the Daily News arrived at the scene on Tuesday, the glass of the sliding door was broken and there were bloodstains in the yard.

The furniture had been removed and the house was empty.

Brigadier Jay Naicker, KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, said the motive for the shooting was unclear and detectives from the Provincial Organised Crime Unit were investigating.

“On Monday, June 26, at 3.30pm, a large group of men gathered at a house in Damet Street in Mariannhill for a meeting when a shooting occurred,” said Naicker

“It is alleged that some of the men opened fire on the group, resulting in six of the men being fatally wounded and one seriously injured.”

Ward councillor Sibusiso Mpanza said the community was still shocked following the incident.

“This has been a tragedy to us, the community is reeling, and we hope that whoever has a hand in this matter will be brought to justice. At this moment, we just have to wait for law enforcement to take its course and hope that justice will be brought to light,” said Mpanza.

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The house in Damet Road in Mariannhill where seven people were gunned down. Picture: Tumi Pakkies/ African News Agency (ANA)

The house in Damet Road in Mariannhill where seven people were gunned down. Picture: Tumi Pakkies/ African News Agency (ANA)