Reiger Park Father Dies Shielding Son in Mass Shooting

Reiger Park Father Dies Shielding Son in Mass Shooting; Community Gripped by Fear

Reiger Park, Boksburg – A one-year-old boy was found nestled beneath the bloodied body of his father after a mass shooting in Reiger Park on Saturday night, a tragic testament to a father's ultimate sacrifice. Leòcant Joseph, 29, known affectionately as Nokas, died shielding his son from a hail of bullets, becoming one of six victims in the gang-stricken community.

The shooting, which claimed the lives of three men and three women, also left three others wounded. It occurred just hours after the funeral of a notorious local gangster, raising concerns that it was a retaliatory attack.

According to police reports, the incident unfolded when two vehicles, a silver Volkswagen Polo and a black Polo, entered the area and the occupants opened fire indiscriminately. However, eyewitness accounts contradict this version of events.

A resident living metres from where Joseph was killed told News24 that he witnessed gunmen walking the streets, firing shots, and hurling abuse at residents. "After they shot the people in the street, one of the gunmen stood on the corner, swore at our mothers, and fired three shots in our direction. I ran inside the house," he said.

The resident disputed the police's claim of drive-by shooting. "They walked in the streets. What they are saying about the two cars is all lies. They walked in the streets and shot at people," he insisted. He also claimed that police arrived at the scene two hours after the shooting. "There was not even police at the scene. One guy was rushed to hospital, and Nokas [Joseph], the guy I know, was still lying at the scene. It was a really sad scene."

The horror of the scene was further described by Yolane Naidoo, the sister of Joseph's girlfriend and the mother of his child. She recounted the moment the family learned of the shooting. "They told me he is with his child in his hand. We ran to the scene, even leaving our doors open."

Upon arrival, Yolane discovered the devastating reality. "We found that Leòcant was already gone, and his child was found underneath him as he was lying there." The young boy was bruised but alive, with a bullet grazing his left arm. Joseph, however, had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

"He had wounds from his leg up to his thigh and, as he turned to cover his child, that is where he got the three at the back and one in the neck. I think the shot in the neck is what took his life," Yolane explained. She described the scene as "bloody and chaotic, terrifying and shocking". "I can’t even describe how I felt when I got there," she added.

Joseph's girlfriend, Harldene Naidoo, said she had left their baby, Leevon, with his father just minutes before the shooting. "It was hardly 30 minutes when I heard the gunshots. I didn’t even know he was gone. When I got there, I found our baby screaming for his pa. He didn’t want his bottle; he just wanted his father."

The boy's cries of "Pa, pa, pa" echoed through the aftermath of the tragedy.

Yolane hailed Joseph's actions as a selfless sacrifice. "Just to think that he took a bullet for his son, I salute him for that. He was a soldier." She added that Joseph shared a particularly special bond with his son, as they shared the same birthday. "He was a loving person, a caring person, and a vibrant person."

Harldene mourned the loss of her boyfriend. "This morning, it hit me. I missed him waking up and getting ready for work. I will miss everything about him."

The tragic event has once again highlighted the challenges faced by Reiger Park police in combating crime. On Monday, Reiger Park police station commander Lionel Chetty conceded that limited manpower and infrastructure were significant barriers.

"We have two vehicles that we basically service the community of Reiger Park, one being a crime prevention vehicle and the other being a sector vehicle," Chetty told the media outside the station.

He explained that the station relies heavily on ad hoc deployments of the Anti-Gang Unit, Public Order Police, and district office reinforcements to curb the violence that has plagued the community for years.

"We have ad hoc crime prevention vehicles that work on special operations during the most problematic times and days," Chetty said. "We also engage the district office, which helps from time to time. We also have the Anti-Gang Unit that helps us with special operations, but some of the complaints are that we are under-resourced and we need more vehicles, and the station needs to be upgraded."

Reiger Park resident Patience Brown expressed the community's fear and despair. "I am heartbroken for the lives lost in Reiger Park. It is not the first time something like this has happened. Today, we lost innocent mothers and children."

She lamented the pervasive insecurity in the area. "I am also a parent, what about my children? I don’t know if these children are possessed or what, but it is not normal to pick up a gun and start shooting people. For how many years must we bleed and cry for our children?"

"Today, you can’t even send your kids to the shop, and they can’t even play soccer in the streets; that is how unsafe it has become," Brown added. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of gang violence on vulnerable communities and the urgent need for increased resources and effective crime prevention strategies.

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