Tears of disbelief flowed in Hanover Park over the weekend after a successful tattoo artist was shot and killed as he tried to flee armed robbers.
Hartseer residents gathered outside the home of Shane Anthony Steyn, 26, on Sunday to express their shock at the incident which saw the man being struck in the chest as a heartless skelm opened fire on him.
Mom Samantha, 49, says the incident happened in Lonedown Road on Saturday at around 10pm as Shane and his three friends sat inside his white Toyota Conquest.
“The two guys approached them and asked: ‘Het julle nie ’n phone vir my nie?’” she says.
“The one on the other side [of the car] grabbed his girlfriend’s phone and she grabbed it back, but at the same time Shane switched on the car to drive away and the one standing next to him just fired.”
She says Shane tried to drive away, but passed out.
His friend took over and they rushed him to Heideveld Emergency Centre, but he died on the way there.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana confirms the incident and says: “The circumstances surrounding this incident are under investigation with no arrest yet.”
On Sunday a large group of people gathered outside Shane’s home as police photographed his car.
Shane, who started Steyn Ink Tattoos five years ago to help support his mother and two younger sisters, was popular for his craft and had recently done tattoos for Cape Town comedian Carl Weber and his wife Valene.
Carl says he was shocked when he heard about the incident.
“I was quite shocked, he is one of the nicest guys I have met,” he says.
“He did a Charlie Chaplin tattoo for me and a tribute tattoo for my wife Valene who lost both her parents due to Covid-19.
"He was a gentle soul and very talented; the world is a sombre place without him.”
Samantha says the family is devastated.
“He didn’t live by the gun, so how in the world was he taken out by a gun?” she questions.
“He was our everything. I recently had Covid-19 and he helped me self-isolate at home and nursed me back to health.
“He looked after his sisters and we are all devastated.”
monique.duval@inl.co.za