Rap star AKA is gunned down and killed in South Africa point-blank shooting
One of South Africa‘s most popular rappers has been shot dead outside a restaurant in the southeastern city of Durban.
Kiernan Forbes, known as AKA, was gunned down alongside his friend Tebello ‘Tibz’ Motsoane on Friday, shortly before he was due to perform on stage.
Police said the men were walking towards their car from a restaurant when they were allegedly approached by armed suspects and shot at point-blank range.
The 35-year-old rapper won multiple South African awards, was nominated several times for a Black Entertainment Television (BET) Award in the United States, and was once nominated for an MTV Europe Music Award.
‘It is with extreme sadness that we acknowledge the passing of our beloved son,’ his parents Tony and Lynn Forbes said in a statement posted on AKA’s Twitter account. ‘Our son was loved, and he gave love in return.’
‘They were allegedly approached by two armed suspects who walked to them from across the street and shot the victims at close range,’ police said in a statement.
The father-of-one was booked to perform at a club Friday night, according to Durban city mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda.
The motive of the shooting is unknown, and police are investigating.
Speaking to South African publication Times Live, paramedic Garrith Jamieson said: ‘On arrival, paramedics met total chaos and a scene where two men, believed to be in their late 30s, sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
South African gun violence famously claimed the lives of one of Africa’s most beloved international artists.
In 2007, reggae singer Lucky Dube was dropping off his teenage son at a relative’s home when gunmen shot him three times at close range during a botched hijacking.
South Africa has one of the world’s highest murder rates.
Many people have licensed firearms for personal protection and there are many more illegal guns in circulation.
Last year, the country recorded several mass shootings at taverns.
In the most recent such incident, eight people were shot dead at a birthday party last month.
