This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/18/utrecht-shooting-tram-dutch-netherlands

The article has changed 16 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
Utrecht tram shooting: armed police hunt suspect Utrecht tram shooting: armed police hunt suspect
(32 minutes later)
Armed police have surrounded a building in the Dutch city of Utrecht after a possible terrorist shooting on a tram that left at least one person feared dead and up to 20 injured, some seriously. Armed police were searching multiple buildings in the Dutch city of Utrecht on Monday after a possible terrorist shooting on a tram left at least one person feared dead and up to 20 injured, some seriously.
“A terrorist motive cannot be excluded” in the incident, which happened at about 10.45am at a tram stop on the city’s central 24 Oktoberplein junction, a police spokesman, Bernhard Jens, told reporters at the scene.“A terrorist motive cannot be excluded” in the incident, which happened at about 10.45am at a tram stop on the city’s central 24 Oktoberplein junction, a police spokesman, Bernhard Jens, told reporters at the scene.
Jens said he could not confirm any fatalities but local media published footage of a body on the ground and reporters at Utrecht hospital said at least 20 people were being treated. Jens said he could not immediately confirm any fatalities but Dutch media published footage of a body on the ground and reporters said at least 20 people had been admitted to hospital for treatment.
The national terrorism coordinator told a press conference that a “complex operation” was under way to apprehend what police believed was a single suspect. “Every effort was now being focused” on apprehending the suspect, Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg said. Utrecht police issued a CCTV picture of the suspect, whom they named as Turkish-born Gökman Tanis, aged 37, and warned people not to approach him themselves but to alert the authorities if they saw him. They also appealed for witness photographs.
Aalbersberg raised the alert level in Utrecht province to its maximum after the incident, which took place at about 10.45am. Local schools were ordered to keep their doors closed until further notice. The Dutch national terrorism coordinator told a press conference that a “complex operation” was under way to apprehend what police believed was a single suspect. “Every effort was now being focused” on apprehending the man, Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg said.
The scene has been cordoned off and a police anti-terrorism unit and emergency services are attending, according to Dutch media. Three police helicopters were also dispatched to the area. Aalbersberg raised the alert level in Utrecht province to its maximum after the incident. Local schools and colleges were ordered to keep their doors closed until further notice and security was increased in the nearby cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague as well as at Schiphol airport.
“Several shots were fired in a tram and several people were injured,” a Utrecht police spokesman, Joost Lanshage, saud. “Helicopters are at the scene and no arrests have been made.” The local council advised all Utrecht’s residents to stay indoors if at all possible as the scene of the shooting remained cordoned off and a police anti-terrorism units carried out searches in multiple buildings and apartment blocks in the area.
Dutch military police went on extra alert at airports and at key buildings as the manhunt took place. “Several shots were fired in a tram and several people were injured,” a Utrecht police spokesman, Joost Lanshage, said earlier. “Helicopters are at the scene but no arrests have been made.”
A local broadcaster, RTV Utrecht, quoted a witness named as Jimmy de Koster as saying several shots had been fired. De Koster said he was on his way home from work when he saw a woman lying on the ground next to a tram, shouting: “I have done nothing.”A local broadcaster, RTV Utrecht, quoted a witness named as Jimmy de Koster as saying several shots had been fired. De Koster said he was on his way home from work when he saw a woman lying on the ground next to a tram, shouting: “I have done nothing.”
He said he then heard three shots and saw four men “running fast towards the woman and trying to drag her away”. More gunshots followed and the men ran off, he said, adding: “It was complete and utter chaos.”He said he then heard three shots and saw four men “running fast towards the woman and trying to drag her away”. More gunshots followed and the men ran off, he said, adding: “It was complete and utter chaos.”
Police appealed to the public to stay away from the area to allow emergency services to do their work. The Algemeen Dagblad newspaper reported that the wounded had been taken off the tram and taken to Utrecht’s main teaching hospital, where a major incident had been declared. The Algemeen Dagblad newspaper reported that the wounded had been taken off the tram and taken to Utrecht’s main teaching hospital, where a major incident had been declared. The newspaper said at least three of the victims had received emergency treatment at the scene.
The newspaper said at least three of the victims had received emergency treatment at the scene. There were initial reports of shootings in other areas of the city but these were subsequently discounted by police. Other reports claimed at least one man had escaped in a red car, reportedly a Seat or a Renault Clio.
Dutch media quoted unnamed police sources as saying there may have been more than one gunman and that other shootings may have occurred in other areas of the city. Several men reportedly fled the scene on foot after the incident before escaping in a car described as a red Seat. The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, called off a cabinet meeting when news of the incident was announced, describing it at “alarming”. The mayor of Utrecht, Jan van Zanen, said the shooting was “awful and dramatic”, adding that his thoughts were with the victims’ relatives.
The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, called off a cabinet meeting when news of the incident was announced. The mayor of Utrecht, Jan van Zanen, described the incident as “awful and dramatic”, adding that his thoughts were with the victims’ relatives.
More details soon …
NetherlandsNetherlands
EuropeEurope
newsnews
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content