Second suspect in Reiger Park killings to appear in court

The second suspect in the Reiger Park killings, a 24-year-old man, is set to face the Boksburg Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday. The arrest of this individual follows an extensive search operation conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Hawks, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department, SAPS Anti-Gang Unit, and the Flying Squad.

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that the suspect was apprehended in Reiger Park after a thorough investigation. In a surprising twist, a source with knowledge of the incident, who has reviewed CCTV footage, claims that the 23-year-old Reagan Cheslin Collis, previously identified as the alleged gunman, may not have been the shooter.

According to this source, Collis was inside his grandmother's house when the shootings occurred. Instead, the footage allegedly shows another man, dressed in a dark hoodie and red tracksuit pants, firing shots at two women before fleeing the scene in a silver-grey Volkswagen Polo. Collis is said to have confronted this gunman afterwards, stating, "I saw you."

The source also alleges that Collis and his friends had a long-standing feud with a gang called the Sour Boys, and had received threats from them just hours before the attack. The shootings left four people dead: Anti-Gang Unit officers Constables Thapelo Tlomatsana, 29, and Sphiwe Sibeko, 28, as well as civilians Roleen Lessing and Jaydin Margerman.

Collis faces multiple charges, including four counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances, and several firearm and ammunition-related offenses. His court case has been postponed to August 25 for a formal bail hearing. Acting Minister of Police Professor Firoz Cachalia commended the efforts of law enforcement teams and the community in advancing the investigation, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between communities and the police in bringing those responsible for such crimes to justice.