A 26-year-old man from Katwijk, identified as R.d.J., is accused of recruiting teenagers to shoot someone in the leg; a plan that ended in tragedy when one of the boys accidentally killed himself.
On February 5 2025, a 16-year-old boy entered a bathroom at his high school in The Hague with a firearm. While handling the weapon, he accidentally shot himself.
Despite emergency services rushing to the scene, the teenager died from his injuries.
A failed plan turned deadly
AD reports that, according to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the fatal incident was linked to a broader plan.
R.d.J. allegedly hired three teenagers — aged 15, 16, and 19 — to shoot an unknown individual in the legs for €2,500.
He is said to have provided them with money, a firearm, and vehicles. He and potentially another person gave the younger boys additional instructions on Snapchat for how the attack should be carried out.
The court cases
On Monday, September 8, the 26-year-old appeared at a preliminary hearing, where he was charged with recruiting underage boys for violent crime and also suspected of involvement in soft drug trafficking.
The trial of the 26-year-old suspect is scheduled for January 2026.
The 19-year-old, who was allegedly set to drive the getaway car, will face a hearing in October 2025.
Meanwhile, the 15-year-old, accused of arranging the escape vehicle, will be tried in juvenile court on the same day.
Beyond the courtroom, the case has sparked renewed concern about the recruitment of minors into organised crime in the Netherlands.
Authorities warn that young people are being lured by money and status into carrying out dangerous tasks.
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