THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) – A lone gunman carrying a bulletproof vest opened fireplace in an house and a hospital within the Dutch port metropolis of Rotterdam on Thursday, killing three folks, together with a 14-year-old woman, police stated.
The capturing despatched sufferers and medics fleeing the Erasmus Medical Heart in downtown Rotterdam, together with some who have been wheeled out of the constructing in beds. Others barricaded themselves into rooms and caught hand-written indicators to home windows to indicate their location.
Police Chief Fred Westerbeke instructed reporters that the shooter was a 32-year-old pupil from Rotterdam. He was arrested on the hospital carrying a firearm. His identification was not launched, and the motive for the shootings was nonetheless beneath investigation.
He first shot and killed a 39-year-old girl and significantly injured her 14-year-old daughter at an house near the place the suspect lived, Police Chief Fred Westerbeke stated. Police stated the woman later died of her accidents.
The shooter then went to the close by Erasmus Medical Heart the place he shot and killed a 46-year-old man, a instructor on the tutorial hospital, the police chief added. He additionally began fires on the scenes of each shootings.
The identities of the victims weren’t launched.
The suspect was cooperating with police, Westerbeke stated.
“It was a black day,” stated Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb.
Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima expressed their sympathy on social media. “Our hearts exit to the household and pals of the victims of the violence this afternoon in Rotterdam,” the royal pair wrote. “We additionally consider everyone who lived in worry throughout these horrible actions,” they added.
The Erasmus Medical Heart appealed on social media for folks to not go to the hospital, however later stated it was reopening. It stated that every one appointments scheduled for Friday would go forward as deliberate.
There have been scores of small explosions and at houses and companies throughout Rotterdam this 12 months, blamed on rival drug gangs. There was no fast suggestion that Thursday’s capturing was linked to the feuding drug gangs.
