In South Africa, a 13-year-old boy was arrested after allegedly shooting and injuring his principal.
The boy has been charged with attempted murder, and his alleged 51-year-old victim is currently recovering in intensive care in hospital. The shooting took place at a primary school in Germiston, east of Johannesburg, and the pupil allegedly used his father’s gun for the crime.
The father has also been arrested on suspicion of negligence in relation to a firearm and was expected to appear in court on Tuesday. During a visit to the school, Gauteng province’s Education Minister alleged that the boy had drawn up a “hitlist” of three teachers who were causing him problems in school. He also alleged that the boy had taken bullets to the school on a previous occasion.
Under South Africa’s Child Justice Act, a 12- or 13-year-old is presumed not to have “criminal capacity” unless the state can prove otherwise. Following a request from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), a magistrate has ordered a report into the boy’s ability to distinguish right from wrong and an assessment of his cognitive, moral, emotional, psychological, and social development. The magistrate will then decide if he can be tried as an adult.
Reflecting on the case, a senior social worker at the National Children and Violence Trust charity expressed concern about the prevalence of gun crimes in the country and their impact on children.
Safety in schools has been a major concern in Gauteng, the province with the biggest population in South Africa and its economic heartland.
This incident sparks further concern after a recent stabbing at a secondary school south of Johannesburg. The authorities have promised to increase security at schools across the province in response to the incident.
