Two Americans are among the five people hurt in a stabbing incident that occurred in the Netherlands.
On Thursday, March 27, police were alerted to multiple reports of stabbings near Sint Nicolaasstraat in Amsterdam’s city center just before 3:30 p.m. local time.
Emergency responders found five injured individuals after what officials described as a serious attack, leading to significant portions of Dam Square being cordoned off for investigation.
The victims include a 67-year-old woman and a 69-year-old man, both of whom are American citizens. Also affected were a 26-year-old man from Poland, a 73-year-old woman from Belgium, and a 19-year-old woman from Amsterdam.
Witness accounts reveal that the attack lasted several minutes before the attacker was stopped by bystanders. He was then taken to the hospital with a leg injury after being subdued prior to police arrival.
The suspect is now in police custody, and officials are investigating the possible motivations behind the attack, considering it may have been random in nature.
Local authorities have emphasized that determining the identity of the arrested suspect is crucial to the ongoing investigation. It has been established that he registered at an Amsterdam hotel on March 26, but further verification of his identity is required due to the presence of various documents.
Witnesses reported that the suspect appeared to be stabbing people randomly while fleeing the scene.
Mayor Halsema stated that the police investigation is a top priority. “We hope to gain clarity soon about the background of this horrific stabbing incident. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and loved ones,” she added.
