At least 12 people were killed and several others wounded after a group of armed attackers opened fire in an informal settlement near Johannesburg late Tuesday, South African police said.

According to the South African Police Service, more than 10 suspects arrived in a white van at the Jumpers informal settlement in Cleveland, a suburb east of Johannesburg, at approximately 11 p.m.

Police said the attackers entered the settlement through multiple access points before moving through the area and indiscriminately shooting residents at several locations.

“The suspects allegedly entered the informal settlement through both entrances and moved through the area, opening fire on residents and community members at multiple locations before fleeing the scene in the same vehicle,” SAPS said in a statement.

Authorities said eight men and three women were pronounced dead at the scene. Another man who was critically injured during the attack later died in hospital, bringing the death toll to 12.

Nine additional victims sustained gunshot wounds and were transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment.

Police have launched a large-scale manhunt to locate the suspects, who remain at large. No arrests have been made, and investigators have not yet established a motive for the attack.

The shooting has shocked residents of the community and adds to growing concerns over violent crime in parts of South Africa, where mass shootings have periodically occurred in recent years.

Investigators are continuing to gather evidence and interview witnesses as efforts intensify to identify and apprehend those responsible.

Authorities have urged anyone with information related to the attack to come forward and assist with the investigation.