Rotterdam police have now arrested a suspect in connection to the three fatal shootings that took place in the IJsselmonde district.
According to the NOS, the suspect is a 24-year-old man without a fixed address. He is currently in custody and can only speak to his lawyer.
He was arrested after a third shooting
The suspect was arrested yesterday (January 2) at around 11:15 PM in Emelissedijk, a bit south of where the three shootings took place.
The police also found a firearm, but it’s unclear whether it was the same weapon that was used in the killings.
This is the second suspect arrested in connection to the case. The first was a 20-year-old Amsterdammer who turned out not to have been involved in any way and has now been released.
The arrest of the 24-year-old followed shortly after the police had released a clearer image of the suspect, captured on the same day as the third shooting.
The police also cautioned IJsselmonde residents to be extra careful and avoid going out alone in the hours following the attack, but that warning has been lifted now that the suspect is in custody.
Not a settling of scores
The first shooting took place on December 21, when a 63-year-old man was found seriously injured on a bike path in Reyerdijk and would later die of his injuries.
One week later, on December 28, a second victim was found. A 58-year-old man from the same city was found dead in a similar fashion: on a bicycle path in the adjacent district of Beverwaard.
The last shooting took place yesterday morning (January 2), when an 81-year-old man was shot and ultimately succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.
According to NU.nl, the victims don’t appear to have been connected to organised crime.
The police are unaware of any obvious motives and, as a result, they aren’t ruling out that the victims were chosen at random.
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