A 30-year-old has been identified as a suspect in the Amsterdam mass stabbing – while a ‘modest’ British hero has been thanked in person by the city’s mayor for stepping in to stop the attack
Amsterdam: Man arrested by Police after stabbing in Dam Square
Police say a 30-year-old Ukrainian national from Donetsk has been identified as the suspect in a mass stabbing incident in Amsterdam.
Five people were left injured when a man began stabbing people at random in Dam Square on Thursday. It included two people from the United States, one from Belgium, and one from Poland. The attack lasted several minutes before the assailant was stopped by a ‘heroic’ British tourist and arrested. Police cordoned off the area, and several ambulances and a trauma helicopter were called to the scene. The British man who stepped in to subdue the attacker has since been awarded an honour by the city’s mayor – but does not want to be named.
In a dramatic clip that has been circulated online, the man, dressed in blue denim jeans and a black Nike hoodie, is seen chasing down the suspect as the attack unfolds. In another video taken a short time later, he kneels on the suspect after reportedly tackling him to the ground.
Amsterdam’s Mayor Femke Halsema invited him to her personal residence on Friday to thank him, and said he showed “exceptional” instinct. She said: “This man made a decision in a split second, which is truly exceptional and for which there should be a lot of appreciation.”
Speaking of his wishes not to be named, Ms Halsema told Dutch broadcaster AT5: “He is a very modest British man.” Maarten Brinkm, head of the ACP police union, also wrote on X: “A big thumbs-up for the decisive action of this hero. The heroic citizen can count on massive praise.”
Meanwhile, police have stated that the suspect used various knives in the attack, but have yet to reveal any motive. He had checked into a hotel in Amsterdam on March 26. An investigation is underway, and authorities believe that the victims were chosen at random.
Eyewitnesses described seeing a 10cm (4in) knife sticking out of a girl’s back in the aftermath of the attack. A 26-year-old Polish man injured in the attack has been discharged, while the other victims remain in a stable condition in hospital.
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