‘WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME’ - Lavender Hill family mourn teen Justin Marcus who was gunned down walking home from shop

A LAVENDER Hill family is shattered after their teen son was shot dead on Sunday night. 

Justin Marcus, 18, was gunned down in St Georges Street while walking home from the shop after buying an entjie to smoke after supper at around 9pm.

Crime groups reported multiple gunshots in Lavender Hill and surrounding areas on Sunday night. It is alleged that skollies were driving around and shooting randomly.

And according to Justin’s heartbroken father, James Combrink, his son was in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

Speaking to the Daily Voice after a visit to the mortuary where they had to identify their son’s body, James said the family has been left with unanswered questions as to why their son was gunned down as he was innocent and not a gangster.

The father explained: “It was just random shootings. My son was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. He was not a gangster, he was walking to the shop which is situated around the bend. 

“There was a car standing at the bend and when he was done buying his cigarette and on his way home, that was when he was approached from behind and they shot him.

“He just finished his food, he is a smoker and he went to the shop to buy a cigarette to smoke and that was when they shot him on his way back home. 

“We just heard one gunshot but then people started calling my wife saying, ‘hulle het vir Justin geskiet’. 

“They shot him three times, two shots were in the head. They shot him once which caused him to fall then they came till by him to shoot him in the face.

“Justin was a people’s person, he was not a gangster. He did odd jobs with his uncle after finishing school last year. I do not know why they targeted him. 

“His mother is shattered, she is stukkend and heartbroken, I am trying my best to be strong. I don’t think people are going to speak up if they saw something because they are too scared.”

Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed that a murder case is under investigation with no arrests made as yet.

Twigg reported: “Steenberg police registered a murder case for investigation following a shooting incident on Sunday night, 11 January 2026, at about 9.18am, in St Georges Street, Cuban Heights, St Montague Village, where a 19-year-old male was shot and fatally wounded. 

“Police members attended the crime scene where they found the victim who sustained gunshot wounds to his body. 

“According to reports the victim was approached by unknown suspects who shot him before fleeing the scene. 

“The victim was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel. The motive for the attack is yet to be determined. A murder case was registered for investigation.”

Police are appealing to anyone with any information about this shooting incident to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the mobile application MySAPS anonymously.