Three Killed after Shooting on Tram in the Netherlands

Three people have been killed and a number others have been injured after a man opened fire in a tram in the Dutch city of Utrecht, reports Dutch media outlet HLN.

According to Dutch police, the man who was in a tram in Utrecht pulled out a gun and started shooting people.

The shooter, who was arrested several hours later, has been identified as 37-year-old Turkish-born Gokmen Tanis.

The motive for the attack is currently unclear. Police say it may be related to ‘family issues’ as opposed to terrorism.

One witness told NRC that a man got up and started shooting “with a big gun” people around him.

“[He] seemed to be aiming at people sitting on the benches…the conductor did not open the [tram] doors right away. Two boys next to me kicked a window broke and I fled outside,” said the witness to NRC.

Bird’s eye view of the location of the shooting.

Anti-terror police arrived at the scene shortly after the incident. A terrorist motive is being investigated, announced Utrecht Police.

The police is investigating the shooting at the #24oktoberplein in Utrecht this morning. An possible terrorist motif is part of the investigation.

— Politie Utrecht (@PolitieUtrecht) March 18, 2019

Authorities have raised the terror threat level in Utrecht to its highest level after the attack and implemented heightened security measures at airports, train stations and schools.

HLN reports that security had also been tightened at train stations and mosques in Rotterdam, but it is currently unclear why mosques had been specifically mentioned.

The shooting comes days after 50 people were killed in an attack on two mosques in New Zealand.