South African soccer player killed in carjacking

Former South Africa junior worldwide Luke Fleurs, who performed for the nation’s hottest soccer membership, Kaizer Chiefs, was killed in a carjacking in Johannesburg, police officers confirmed Thursday.

Fleurs, 24, was shot in the chest at a gasoline station Wednesday night time and the assailants drove off in his car.

“While waiting to be served by the attendant, he was confronted by two armed males,” police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo advised reporters, including that no arrests had been made.

The centre-back performed each minute for South Africa on the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021, and that very same 12 months was known as as much as the senior crew for World Cup qualifiers in opposition to Ethiopia, although he didn’t make it off the bench and was uncapped.

“We woke up to the heartbreaking and devastating news of the passing of this young life. This is such a huge loss for his family, friends, his teammates and football in general. We are all grieving this young man’s passing,” South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan mentioned in an announcement.

Zizi Kodwa, South Africa’s Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture, mentioned he was “saddened that yet another life has been cut short due to violent crime.”

Fleurs joined Chiefs from TremendousSport United in October, having come via the Ubuntu Football Academy in Cape Town.