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Several injured in Utrecht tram shooting Utrecht shooting: several injured on tram as man opens fire
(32 minutes later)
Several people have been injured in a shooting on a tram in the Dutch city of Utrecht, which police said may have had a “terrorist motive”. A suspected gunman is at large after a shooting on a tram in the Dutch city of Utrecht, which police said may have had a “terrorist motive”.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he was “deeply concerned” and that crisis talks were to be held in response to the incident. Dutch radio said security had been increased at the seat of the government in The Hague. The Dutch government raised the terrorism threat level to the highest possible in the Utrecht province, and security was increased at schools, mosques and transportation hubs across the country.
“Several shots were fired in a tram and several people were injured. Helicopters are at the scene and no arrests have been made,” said police spokesman Joost Lanshage. Police said they believe at least person had been killed and several others injured.
Police could not immediately provide further details about the shooting incident and could not say how badly hurt the victims were. The victims’ identities were unknown. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he was “deeply concerned” by the incident.
An anti-terrorism unit and emergency services are at the scene around the 24 Oktoberplein junction, where a square at a tram station has been cordoned off. Three helicopters were despatched to the area after the shooting, which took place at about 10.45am. Anti-terror coordinator Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg said in a statement that the “threat level has gone to 5, exclusively for the Utrecht province,” referring to the highest level. “The culprit is still on the run. A terror motive cannot be excluded,” he said in a Twitter message. He called on citizens to closely follow the indications of the local police.
Police spokesman Bernhard Jens said that “one explanation is that the person [suspect] fled by car.” He did not rule out the possibility that more than one person was involved. “We want to try to catch the person responsible as soon as possible,” Jens said.
An anti-terrorism unit and emergency services rushed to the scene around the 24 Oktoberplein junction, where a square at a tram station was cordoned off. Three helicopters were despatched to the area after the shooting, which took place at about 10.45am.
BREEK - Volgens getuigen heeft een man in een tram op weg naar Utrecht CS een wapen getrokken en meerdere personen neergeschoten. Hulpdiensten massaal aanwezig en bezig met eerste hulp in de tram. pic.twitter.com/eQOWF2e5ZeBREEK - Volgens getuigen heeft een man in een tram op weg naar Utrecht CS een wapen getrokken en meerdere personen neergeschoten. Hulpdiensten massaal aanwezig en bezig met eerste hulp in de tram. pic.twitter.com/eQOWF2e5Ze
Police appealed to the public to stay away to allow first responders to do their work.Police appealed to the public to stay away to allow first responders to do their work.
The local broadcaster RTV Utrecht quoted a witness as saying he had seen a woman lying on the ground amid some kind of confrontation. Several men ran away from the scene, the witness said.The local broadcaster RTV Utrecht quoted a witness as saying he had seen a woman lying on the ground amid some kind of confrontation. Several men ran away from the scene, the witness said.
More details soon …More details soon …
NetherlandsNetherlands
EuropeEurope
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