South African footballer and Olympian Luke Fleurs was tragically killed in a hijacking incident in Johannesburg, as confirmed by his club, Kaizer Chiefs.
Fleurs, aged 24, was shot while waiting at a petrol station in the Honeydew suburb, according to police reports. The attackers fled with his vehicle, prompting a police investigation for murder and car hijacking.
Fleurs had previously represented South Africa at the Tokyo Olympics as part of the national under-23 team.
His untimely death adds to the concerning trend of fatal hijackings in South Africa, a country known for its high murder rates. Official crime statistics from late last year revealed a staggering 5,973 reported hijacking cases, highlighting the severity of the issue.