DUBAI: At least one person is dead and multiple others injured in a shooting incident in Utrecht, The Netherlands, according to Dtuch news agency ANP.
Police are not ruling out terrorism as a possible motive in the shooting that left several people “heavily injured” – the shooter remains at large. Police have advised schools in the area to keep their doors closed.
Police have erected a white tent over an area where a body appears to be lying next to a tram following reports of a shooting in the Dutch city of Utrecht, AP reported.
The Dutch anti-terror coordinator has raised the threat alert to its highest level around the central Dutch town of Utrecht following the shooting incident on a tram in the city, with the shooter still on the run.
Anti-terror coordinator Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg said in a statement that the “threat level has gone to 5, exclusively for the Utrecht province,” referring to the highest level.
“The culprit is still on the run. A terror motive cannot be excluded,” he said in a Twitter message. He called on citizens to closely follow the indications of the local police.
Dutch police say they are looking for a least one person who might have fled by car. Counter-terrorism forces have surrounded a building where the gunman may be located, local broadcaster NOS News reported.
Spokesman Bernhard Jens did not exclude more people might be involved.
“We want to try to catch the person responsible as soon as possible,” Jens said.
The Utrecht local government has set up a hotline to address queries about the situation. The Netherlands has one of the strictest gun laws and ownership is limited to law enforcement, hunters and target shooters.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced that the government is currently holding crisis talks.
Aalbersberg earlier said on Twitter that he was having “crisis consultations”, adding: “Terrorist motive not excluded. Information not yet full.”
Local media reports have said counter-terrorism police were seen at the scene.
“Shooting incident… Several injured people reported. Assistance started,” the Utrecht police Twitter account said. “It is a shooting incident in a tram. Several trauma helicopters have been deployed to provide help.”
Dutch paramilitary police have increased security at airports and other vital public infrastructure.
The 24 Oktoberplein is a busy Utrecht traffic junction, with a tram stop. Tram traffic was temporarily stopped due to the incident, but the trams are currently running again between Zuilenstein, Nieuwegein and IJsselstein.
(With AFP and Reuters)
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