The port-city of Dordrecht made international headlines last night as reports of a shooting emerged in the media. Two children and a female were shot in their family home, by a man presumed to be the father.
The two children, aged 8 and 12, died immediately at the scene. The 27-year-old mother died of her injuries earlier this morning. The shooter was found dead at the Dordrecht home, presumably after turning the weapon on himself, although police are still investigating.
The deceased suspect was revealed to be a Rotterdam police officer. It is unclear whether it was his service weapon that was used to commit the four killings.
The couple were in the midst of a bitter and angry divorce, although still lived together in the house, according to NOS.
Inmiddels staat vast dat bij het incident in #Dordrecht een man (35) en 2 kinderen (8 en 12) zijn overleden. De man is politieman en mogelijk de schutter. Er zijn sterke aanwijzingen dat er sprake is van een gezinsdrama. Nader onderzoek moet dat uitwijzen.https://t.co/oE5ZjmFLgQ pic.twitter.com/NiUkLKgszH
— Politie Rotterdam eo (@Politie_Rdam) September 9, 2019
What has been said?
Tributes have come out flowing for the victims of the attack. The two children played football at Wieldrecht Football Club. “Our thoughts and compassion are with everyone who is involved in this and who knows the family in any way. This is beyond description,” the club said in a statement.
The school the girl attended, Insula College, are providing the girls classmates with their first hour off. “For all other classes, we just want to try to let the lessons go as far as possible,” the school director told NOS.
Our thoughts go out to all those affected by the tragic events. If you or anyone close to you is struggling, please do not hesitate to reach out for help. If you’re in the Netherlands, you can call 0900-0113 or visit the official Dutch suicide prevention website. If you’re a victim of domestic violence you can contact the Arosa Foundation on 010 – 820 08 40.