8-Year-Old Charged With Murder As Cousin, 7, Dies In Gun Tragedy
An eight-year-old boy has been charged with murder after his seven-year-old cousin was fatally shot with their father’s licensed gun. The tragedy unfolded in Mqanduli, Eastern Cape, South Africa, on Thursday, 2 October 2025, just after midday.
Police Confirm Murder Charge
According to the South African Police Service, the child managed to get hold of the firearm from his father’s bedroom. He then pointed it at his cousin. A shot went off. The seven-year-old collapsed and died on the spot.
Police confirmed the shocking details in a media statement issued on Friday, 3 October:
“Cases of murder and negligence/failure to safeguard a firearm have been opened at Kwaaiman police station after the fatal shooting of a seven-year-old boy by his eight-year-old cousin using his father’s licensed firearm in Nothintwa locality, Ngcwanguba A/A in Mqanduli.”
However, the authorities did not provide a precise account of how the incident unfolded. They did not clarify whether it was a horrific accident, a reckless game gone wrong, or something else entirely. Those unanswered questions have left the public even more unsettled.
The boy, despite his young age, has been officially charged and placed in the care of social workers.
Father Released On Warning
The tragedy has also placed the boy’s father, aged 48, in legal trouble. Police said he failed to safeguard his firearm, allowing it to end up in his son’s hands.
The SAPS statement continued:
“A case of murder was opened against the eight-year-old boy whilst failure to safeguard firearm charge was laid against the 48-year-old father.”
The father was arrested but later released on warning. He is expected to appear at the Mqanduli Magistrate’s Court.
His court appearance will focus on the allegation that his negligence directly led to the tragedy that claimed the life of his young nephew and the arrest of his 8-year-old son.
Shockwaves And Unanswered Questions
The news of an eight-year-old facing a murder charge has stunned communities across South Africa and Zimbabwe. The official SAPS announcement triggered a wave of emotional reactions.
One user wrote in disbelief:
“How does an eight-year-old even face a murder charge? He is just a child.”
Another commented:
“Children should never have access to firearms. This is tragic. #ResponsibleFirearmUse must be enforced.”
Others went further, questioning the justice system and highlighting the unanswered question of whether the child understood what he was doing.
For many, the case has struck a painful chord. Will the law treat an eight-year-old as a murderer? Or will the courts see it as a terrible accident caused by an adult’s failure to protect children from danger?
The debate has not died down. With police spokesperson Captain Welile Matyolo confirming that investigations are ongoing, the region waits for answers.
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