Three dead in Dutch tram shooting, police say suspect is Turkish-born

Three people were killed and five injured in a shooting in the Dutch city of Utrecht, the mayor said Monday, adding that authorities were working on the basis of it being a terrorist attack.

The suspect was identified as Gokmen Tanis, a 37-year-old Turkish-born man.

Gökman Tanis

Local authorities said a square at a tram station outside the city center had been cordoned off as emergency services were at the scene.

“It is a shooting incident in a tram. Several trauma helicopters have been deployed to provide help,” Utrecht police stated on their twitter account.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that the government is holding crisis talks after the shooting.

The Dutch government raised the terrorism threat level to the highest possible in the province of Utrecht.

Security was increased at schools, mosques and transportation hubs after the shooting.

Suspect arrested

Dutch police arrested a man of Turkish origin for his suspected involvement in the tram shooting. “The chief suspect has been arrested,” the city of Utrecht said in a tweet.

The father of the suspect, Mehmet Tanis, stated earlier that his son should be punished if he’s to blame.

“If he did it, he should pay the penalty,” he says. Tanis also added that he has not spoken to his son in 11 years.