Three People Killed in Shooting in Rotterdam: Suspected Student, Who Once Convicted of Animal Abuse

Illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Tony Webster)

JAKARTA - A mother, her daughter and a university lecturer were killed in a shooting incident in Rotterdam, the Netherlands by a gunman on Thursday.

The suspect, who was a student (32), shot dead a housewife in her house in the neighborhood where he lived, as well as her 14 year old daughter who later died in hospital.

After setting fire to the woman's house, the gunman went to the University of Rotterdam Medical Center hospital, where he entered a classroom and shot dead a 43-year-old lecturer.

"We were shocked by the terrible incident. Shots occurred in two different places in this city. Many people witnessed it," said Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb, reported by Reuters, September 29.

"Emotions in this city are very high. I share my condolences to the victims," ​​he continued.

Video posted online showed police instructing students, some of whom were wearing white medical gowns, to run outside as heavily armed arrest teams arrived at the scene.

One video shows a man handcuffed and wearing combat trousers.

Police said there was no indication of another shooter.

The man was arrested near the hospital, where he also started the fire. The motive is not yet known.

Meanwhile, the local prosecutor's office said that the authorities recognized the suspect who had previously been convicted.

"The suspect was known to law enforcement and in 2021 he was tried and convicted of animal abuse," said Rotterdam Chief Prosecutor Hugo Hillenaar.