Gokmen Tanis has been arrested, police say
A man suspected of shooting three people on a tram in Utrecht has been arrested, a Dutch police official said.
37-year-old Gokmen Tanis was named as a suspect, resulting in manhunt of several hours. The Turkish-born man is suspected of killing three people and injuring five on a tram in Utrecht, a Dutch city.
Fred Grapperhaus, the Dutch justice minister, said the suspect had a criminal record and was “known” to authorities.
He said: “Yes, the suspect was known within the justice department. He had a criminal record. That is indeed what we know. I can give no more details.”
The Netherland’s prime minister Mark Rutte said three people were critically injured: “Three people are dead, three people are fighting for their lives.
“There was an attack today in the Netherlands – if it had terror motives, that is being investigated. But it was very serious. The world shares our grief.”
Speaking to a foreign news agency, Tanis’ father said his son should be punished if he is to blame:Â “If he did it, he should pay the penalty.”
An eyewitness told Dutch media outlet NTV what she had seen on the tram.
“I was in the back of the tram. He shot around, but seemed to be aiming at people sitting on the benches – everyone ducked away,” she said. “The conductor did not open the doors immediately. Two boys next to me kicked in a window, so I fled outside. More people did that. “
