The Utrecht shooting took place at 10.45am on Monday morning
Dutch police have confirmed that three people have been killed after a man opened fire on a tram in the city of Utrecht on Monday morning.
Nine other people have been taken to hospital, but it is not yet known how serious their injuries are.
Authorities are now searching for 37-year-old Turkish-born Gökman Tanis, who fled the scene after the attack. Reports suggest he used a red car and urged anyone who comes across Tanis not to approach him.
https://twitter.com/PolitieUtrecht/status/1107636046685188096
A reporter for national broadcaster NOS earlier reported that a white sheet had been placed over a body near the tram where the shooting took place.
An anti-terrorism unit and three helicopters were dispatched to the scene. Dutch police have reportedly ordered all schools to close down and keep children inside.
It is understood that they are taking into account a possible terrorist motive for the attack, and the terrorism threat level for Utrecht has been raised to its maximum.
“We cannot exclude a terrorist motive,” Dutch anti-terrorism co-ordinator Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg told reporters. “A lot is still unclear at this point and local authorities are working hard to establish all the facts.”
He also added that shootings had taken place at “several locations”, which remain unspecified.
