After yesterday’s shooting spree in Rotterdam killed three people, the question on everyone’s minds is simple: why did it happen? It turns out the suspect has a history of previous convictions and “psychotic behaviour.”
The suspect is a 32-year-old university student at Erasmus University Rotterdam called Fouad L. He appears to have acted alone, police report.
He is also decidedly not connected to any “rival drug gangs” that are often behind similar attacks in Rotterdam, NOS reports.
“Psychotic behaviour”
It is reported that the Public Prosecution Service had sent an email to the Erasmus Medical Centre prior to the shooting, warning them of Fouad L.’s “psychotic behaviour.”
This included cases of the assailant laughing “half naked in the garden on a pile of leaves” and a previous conviction for animal abuse.
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Further investigation after the shooting spree reveals that Fouad L. had kept photos of stabbing victims on his phone.
The suspect is not new to having a criminal record; back in 2021, he abused and mauled a rabbit to the point that it needed to be put down by a veterinarian. He was consequently sentenced to 40 hours of community service.
Another allegation of animal cruelty arose when he reportedly shot a pigeon with a crossbow — however, he couldn’t be convicted due to insufficient evidence.
Connection to the victims
In terms of his connections to yesterday’s victims, the 39-year-old woman who was shot to death in her home (which Fouad L. himself lived within reach of) had allegedly reported the suspect for animal abuse on multiple occasions in the past.
As for his motives behind shooting a 43-year-old male general practitioner and teacher at Erasmus Medical Centre, some sources speculate that this could be due to getting rejected for a training position there.
Worrying 4Chan posts
Historically, Fuoad L. has used 4Chan as an outlet to complain about his education “sabotag[eing]” him, claiming that teachers secretly hoped he would fail his exams.
Records of the forum show that L. was angry about his neighbour filming his mistreatment of the rabbit, which he seems to dismiss as a “drunken” mistake.
The rant is concluded with a reference to his “brothers with Asperger’s” as well as the statement: “The whole world hates us. Death to normies.”
The police are still in the process of investigating the full explanation behind his motives.
Voor iedereen die getuige of betrokken was bij een van de schietincidenten in #Rotterdam staat #slachtofferhulp klaar. Bel 0900-0101 of laat een bericht achter op de website van Slachtofferhulp https://t.co/re1TU5BLp5
— Politie Eenheid Rotterdam eo (@POL_Rotterdam) September 28, 2023
A helpline has been set up for anyone who witnessed or was affected by the shooting.
Translation: #slachtofferhulp is available for anyone who witnessed or was involved in one of the shooting incidents in #Rotterdam . Call 0900-0101 or leave a message on the Victim Support website
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