Dutch authorities arrested the suspect who open fired on a tram in the city of Utrecht, Netherlands. Three people were killed, and five others were wounded.
Gokmen Tanis was arrested on Monday night. The Dutch police were investigating the case with the possibility of a terrorists motive. The incident occurred at the 24 October Square at 10:45 am local time. The motive behind the attack was still unclear.
The police in all arrested three suspects, but added that they were investing their involvement in the shooting.
Rutger Jeuken from the public prosecution service said, “The first indication of what has happened and the statements that have been made and the traces that have been found, we certainly consider a terrorist motive; however we don’t exclude other motives.”
After the gunfire the police launched a manhunt for the suspect, and circulated CCTV footage. The man was born in Turkey, and reached the incident four minutes before he opened fired.
After the incident three trauma helicopters were deployed, the area was cordoned off. The police said the attacker was carjacked just before the shooting, and was later found 2.6 miles away.
The Prime Minister Mark Rutte expressed his condolences to those who had lost a family member in the attack that happened “literally in the heart of our country.”
Soon after the incident the police issued a terror threat level of 5, which was soon downgraded to 4. Schools were briefly asked to remain on lockdown and the tram services in the city were cancelled.