Western Cape police are still searching for the gang which gunned strip-club owner Yuri Ulianitski and his young daughter in Milnerton on Tuesday night.
Ulianitski’s wife Irina survived the attack and is in a stable condition in the Milnerton Medi-Clinic, said a hospital spokesperson on Wednesday night.
Superintendent Billy Jones confirmed the identities of the victims and said there had been no arrests. He could not comment on the motive for the attack.
On Wednesday, Western Cape newspapers reported that the attack was regarded as a hit on Ukrainian immigrant Ulianitski (39) known in Cape Town as ”Yuri the Russian” and the owner of The Castle strip club in the city.
The family was driving through Milnerton at about 10.45pm on Tuesday in an Audi 4×4, on their way home from a restaurant, when they were attacked by gunmen in a white Toyota Tazz.
Paramedics said Ulianitski was shot 20 times, his wife Irina (38) was shot four times and their daughter, Yulia (4) was shot in the head.
”We are not excluding the possibility that the attack was a direct hit on their lives,” said Jones.
Ulianitski and his daughter died shortly after their arrival at hospital.
Cape Town newspapers described Ulianitski as ”one of Cape Town’s most feared underworld figures” and said he was out on bail of R30 000 in connection with allegations of conspiracy to kidnap and possession of illegal firearms and drugs.
At the time of Ulianitski’s arrest in April, media reports said that he and his Bulgarian club manager Ilian Fishkin, both now South African citizens, were arrested at the V&A Waterfront after a lengthy police investigation.
Police opposed bail for Ulianitski, arguing he had been convicted of illegal gambling and there was a case of failing to safeguard a firearm pending against him. – Sapa