Football: a week after the murder of South African footballer Luke Fleurs, police announce six arrests

Luke Fleurs n’avait que 20 ans. MAXPPP – NICOLAS GOISQUE

South African police announced on Wednesday that they had arrested six suspects, a week after the murder of footballer Luke Fleurs who played for Kaizer Chiefs in Johannesburg.

The 24-year-old central defender was shot at last week while filling up his car at a gas station in the northern suburbs -west of the city and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

Six people arrested

"Police arrested six suspects for attempted robbery and murder", said police representative Mavela Masondo. The arrests took place early Wednesday in the township of Soweto, southwest of Johannesburg, two days after the discovery of Fleurs' vehicle, according to the spokesperson.

According to authorities, Luke Fleurs was waiting to be served at a gas station behind the wheel of his car when two men burst in and ordered him to get out of the vehicle under the threat of a weapon. Once they got out of his car, they shot him before fleeing with his vehicle.

Also read: Soccer. South African player shot dead when vehicle stolen from gas station

Investigators believe the suspects are part of a crime syndicate responsible for other car thefts in Gauteng, one of South Africa's nine provinces South. "The search for other suspects continues", added the spokesperson.

South Africa is suffering from a skyrocketing crime rate, a major political issue in the run-up to general elections scheduled for May. The country recorded nearly 84 murders per day between October and December, according to official statistics.