A mass stabbing incident in Amsterdam has left at least five people wounded. The attack took place on Sint Nicolaasstraat, near the famous Dam Square, around 3:30 p.m. local time. A witness described hearing a chilling scream before chaos erupted, as reported by De Telegraaf.
According to local media, a young girl and an elderly woman were among the victims, though police have not confirmed the age and gender of the victims. Two ambulances were sent to the scene, but as the situation worsened, three more were sent just ten minutes later. A worker from a nearby store described the situation as terrifying. “It was very frightening,” the worker said.
Terror in Amsterdam
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“Customers saw an elderly woman being stabbed in the back. She was with her husband. I only saw it when the woman was lying on the ground. It was very grim,” the store worker added.
Images from the scene captured a person being put inside an ambulance. Live footage from the historic square showed a large crowd gathering around a restricted area in front of the Royal Palace, where emergency responders, including a trauma helicopter, ambulances, and police vans, were present. The cordon has since been removed.
According to local reports, at least 14 police vehicles and an officer on a motorcycle were on-site. A fire truck also arrived at Dam Square with its siren blaring.
Footage taken by a local journalist showed ambulances maneuvering through the gathered crowd, arriving and departing from the scene.
Authorities confirmed that the suspect, described by Dutch media as a man wearing a hood, has been arrested. They said that the motive remains unclear but is under investigation.
A police representative told local media earlier that they had been alerted to a reported robbery.
“We are present at the Sint Nicolaasstraat near the Dam after a report of a stabbing incident with injuries. There is therefore a cordon, also on the Dam. More information will follow,” the city’s police department earlier said on X.
City on High Alert
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Authorities have asked people to stay away from the area and requested those already present to allow emergency responders to do their work. Police have also called on anyone with footage of the attack to come forward to help in the investigation.
Public transport in the vicinity has been disrupted, with trams between Amsterdam Centraal and Dam Square halted due to the stabbing. Service has also been suspended between Dam Square station and Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, according to a spokesperson from Amsterdam’s GVB transport company.
Several shops in the area have shut down, only allowing customers to exit.
Amsterdam’s mayor, Femke Halsema, was attending a council meeting when the attack took place and was promptly informed. She is currently holding discussions about the incident with the city’s chief prosecutor, René de Beukelaer, and police chief, Peter Holla.
