A 14-YEAR-OLD girl from Kensington was shot dead while watching learners celebrating their matric farewells on Saturday.
Alnika Mitchell was shot while sitting in front of her yard in Lugmag Street with her friends when she was hit by a stray bullet.
The Daily Voice visited Mitchell’s home on Sunday - a day after the heartbreaking incident - and were met by a broken family, after their “Nika” collapsed in the front yard after running for help after she was shot.
Grandma Beverley Abrahams told the Daily Voice: “Nika and her two friends were sitting outside, right in front of the house looking at the matric balls.
“As I was on my way out to also look at the matric balls, that was when she came running in, holding her chest and said, ‘ma ek is geskiet’.
“I ran past her because I wanted to know who shot her and my priority was to catch the person who hurt my child.
“As I came out I saw this guy with a silver gun in his hand hiding by the corner shop, he still told me ‘uit die pad uit’ because they wanted to continue shooting. I ran to him and told him, ‘jy’t my kind geskiet’.
“I started chasing him because he was the one with the gun.
“I was calling for help and telling the people ‘hy't my kind geskiet, vang hom’.
“I tried running after him but I couldn’t go further because I ran out of breath. When I got back home, I saw her lying in the yard and I don’t remember further, I just went blank.”
Heartbroken dad Emilio Johnson could not hold back the tears, saying that he was always protective of his children and always kept them indoors to keep them away from the gun violence in the street.
He added: “She was my eldest daughter. She was supposed to get her report and proceed to Grade 10. Last term I still made a joke with her and said she did not do well in her report.
“She almost wanted to cry but I hugged and comforted her because I did not want to hurt her. She was my bossiekop, we had a good relationship.”
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed that a murder and attempted murder cases were registered for investigation.
Twigg said: “Kensington police responded to a complaint of a shooting on the corner of Lugmag Avenue and Ventura Street, Factreton, on Saturday evening, 6 December 2025, at about 7.30pm.
“Upon arrival on the scene they found the body of a 14-year-old girl who sustained a gunshot wound. The victim was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel.
“An adult male who sustained a gunshot wound to his arm was treated on the scene.
“According to reports the suspect opened fire on a silver Volkswagen Polo when the victims were caught in the crossfire. The suspect fled the scene and is yet to be arrested.”
Twigg also confirmed a separate incident in which Steenberg police registered two counts of murder on Saturday night at about 9.55pm, following a shooting incident on the corner of Herslett and Peter Charles Streets, Cafda, where two males aged 26 and 27 were shot and fatally wounded.
Anyone with any information about these incidents can contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the mobile application MySAPS anonymously.