AT least one man was shot dead and two injured when gunfire broke out during an attempted eviction of squatters in Lawley, south of Johannesburg on Monday. Vaal police could not confirm reports that a second man had died in hospital after the shooting. According to police, A crowd of about 600 people confronted and stoned security guards at 8am on Monday. The guards retaliated with rubber bullets. The residents regrouped and about 2000 people then confronted the security guards. Two people in the crowd opened fire with automatic rifles. Meanwhile a red bakkie, carrying about 20 armed passengers, arrived at the scene, he further claimed. Witnesses said the armed passengers started shooting from the back of the crowd at the security guards. The situation was by late Monday afternoon still tense, and the company was awaiting a decision from the provincial government on whether to continue with the evictions.