Dutch police arrested 34 suspects after a large‑scale manhunt triggered by a shooting in Overasselt, a rural village about 135 km southeast of Amsterdam. The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday when a man was fatally shot and two police officers were wounded.
Security‑camera footage released by De Telegraaf showed roughly 30 individuals, many wearing ski masks and carrying weapons, walking down the street before fleeing the scene. Police are analysing the video as part of their investigation and have urged local residents to remain indoors while they continue their probe.
Mayor Joerie Minses described the event as “extreme violence that is completely unacceptable.” National police chief Janny Knol said on X that officers from across the country are involved in the inquiry and that a “large number” of suspects have already been detained, calling the violence “unprecedented.” The 34 detainees include citizens of the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Algeria; their identities and charges have not been disclosed.
Prosecutors and police declined to comment on a possible motive. Authorities note that the Netherlands serves as a major entry point for cocaine, a factor that has fueled a more violent underworld of criminal gangs, including groups that also produce synthetic drugs.
