Amsterdam, Sept 1. (dpa/GNA) – At least one person has been killed in a shooting in the Dutch village of Overasselt, near the German border.
Two police officers were injured, officials said on Tuesday. The police reported that there had been “a large number of arrests.”
The village, near Nijmegen, was cordoned off for hours, and the local primary school was closed. For hours, several police units, including helicopters, were hunting for the suspected perpetrators.
It is believed that dozens of armed individuals were involved. According to witnesses, some had been hiding in a cornfield.
Police reported that suspected getaway cars were stopped on two motorways in the region, and several people were detained. Citing the ongoing investigation, the police declined to provide details such as the number of those detained.
The daily newspaper De Telegraaf, published CCTV footage showing around 30 heavily armed and masked individuals. According to the report, dozens of young men had run through the village in the early hours of the morning. Some were carrying rifles.
The shooting is said to have taken place at around 4 am (0200 GMT). According to the police, police and emergency services arrived at the scene quickly. It is unclear how the police officers were injured. They were taken to hospital and are not in a life-threatening condition.
According to media reports, the incident stems from a conflict within a drug gang. The man whose house was shot at is said to be linked to the gang of cocaine dealer, Jos Leijdekkers, known as “Bolle Jos.” He is one of the most notorious drug dealers and has been on international wanted lists for years.
The house in the village was already the target of an attack last year. On that occasion, a 21-year-old man fired at the front gate with a Kalashnikov rifle. He later told the court it was meant to be a warning. He did not name the person who had commissioned the attack.
The deceased is believed to be a bodyguard whom the residents of the house had hired, following the previous attack.
Residents and politicians were horrified at the scale of the violence. “We will not tolerate this violence,” said Justice Minister David van Weel. “I am deeply shocked,” said Mayor Joerie Mindes. “What happened in Overasselt tonight is completely unacceptable and crosses every line.”
GNA