World

Two Killed in Rotterdam Twin Shootings

Published

7 months ago

September 29, 2023

Two lives were tragically cut short due to the Rotterdam twin shootings. A teenager now clings to life following two shootings by a 32-year-old gunman. Dressed in combat gear, the assailant left a trail of violence and chaos, including setting fire to a hospital.

EWN reports that Dutch authorities are piecing together the motive behind these twin attacks. They began with the assailant forcefully entering a residence in the Dutch port city. Police chief Fred Westerbeke said the suspect killed a 39-year-old woman and wounded her 14-year-old daughter.

The shooter then proceeded to the Erasmus MC hospital. He entered a classroom, killed a 46-year-old teacher and set fire to a portion of the facility. This fire incited panic among patients and staff.

Elite police units swiftly responded to the unfolding crisis, storming the hospital to contain the threat. Witnesses recounted scenes of chaos, with medical personnel hurriedly evacuating the building, pushing patients in wheelchairs and on stretchers to safety.

An eyewitness speaking to RTL Nieuws described the harrowing sequence of events. “First there was a shooting on the fourth floor. Four or five shots were fired. Then a Molotov cocktail was thrown into the education centre. There was a lot of panic and screaming.”

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Another individual, cited by public broadcaster NOS, shared a similar account of the panic and chaos that gripped the hospital. Visuals from the scene captured helicopters hovering overhead and police snipers taking strategic positions on the hospital’s roof.

The suspect is a student at the hospital. The authorities already know him due to a prior conviction for animal cruelty. He was described as tall with black hair and carrying a backpack. He was believed to have a single firearm. Authorities have not indicated any accomplices in this tragic event.

Chief public prosecutor Hugo Hillenaar informed reporters that the suspect cooperates with law enforcement after his apprehension. However, the motive behind these horrifying acts remains elusive as the investigation unfolds.

The deeply distressing events in Rotterdam have shocked the community, with Rotterdam GP Matthijs van der Poel stating, “Everyone is totally shocked by the events and is watching the news with horror. I’m afraid such things cannot be prevented.”

Notably, Rotterdam has witnessed previous incidents of violence, often attributed to conflicts among rival drug gangs. The Netherlands, as a whole, has also grappled with other tragic shooting incidents in recent years, including a 2019 tram shooting in Utrecht and a 2011 mall rampage in Alphen aan den Rijn.

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