A 23-year-old man accused of being behind the deadly shooting that claimed the lives of two Gauteng police officers and two women in Reiger Park, Ekurhuleni, has appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court facing nine charges.

Reagan Cheslin Collis made his first court appearance following his arrest in connection with the shooting last Friday.

The State intends opposing bail when Collis returns to court on August 25.

According to Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale, investigators believe the case against Collis could expand as the investigation continues.

Mogale said preliminary investigations had already uncovered sufficient evidence to consider additional charges and further arrests.

Collis is currently facing four counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of robbery with aggravating circumstances and a charge relating to possession of an unlicensed firearm, among the nine charges.

The four murder charges relate to the deaths of the two South African Police Service Anti-Gang Unit members and two women who were killed during the shooting.

The circumstances surrounding the attack have raised concerns about the level of gang violence and the dangers faced by police officers working in crime hotspots.

Mogale said investigators were not convinced that Collis acted alone.

“We do believe that he was not alone in doing this heinous deed,” she said.

She indicated that police were pursuing other lines of investigation and had not ruled out further arrests.

The Hawks spokesperson said the State would present its evidence during the forthcoming bail proceedings.

The investigation comes against the backdrop of continuing gang-related violence in Reiger Park, an area that has repeatedly experienced shootings and other serious crimes.

In June, Ekurhuleni police intensified operations in Reiger Park and Actonville through Operation Shanela, targeting illegal firearms, drugs, gang violence and other serious crimes. At the time, Ekurhuleni District deputy commissioner Brigadier David Ngcobo said Anti-Gang Unit members had been deployed to investigate recent mass shootings in the area.

Reiger Park has previously been identified as a gang violence hotspot. In July, Sowetan reported that Gauteng had recorded 258 deaths linked to gang violence since 2022, with Reiger Park among the areas identified as hotspots. The figures, released by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, showed that police had recorded 979 gang-related cases over the period, resulting in 641 arrests and the recovery of 189 illegal firearms.

The township has also experienced previous mass shootings.

In November 2025, six people were killed and three others injured in a drive-by shooting in Reiger Park. Police said the victims were shot across several streets, while investigators examined possible gang-related motives.

The 2025 shooting also prompted a major Anti-Gang Unit response, with SAPS announcing the arrest of a 23-year-old suspect following investigations.

Police have repeatedly highlighted the link between illegal firearms, drugs and gang activity in the area. In March this year, the Gauteng Anti-Gang Unit recovered three unlicensed firearms during an operation around Reiger Park and Germiston and arrested a 31-year-old suspect.

For Collis, the immediate issue will be whether he is released on bail when he returns to the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on August 25.

The State has already made its position clear: it will oppose his release.

Mogale said the investigation remained active and that additional suspects and charges could follow as detectives piece together what happened during the deadly attack.