Police have arrested Gokmen Tanis, a 37-year-old Turkish man, suspected of opening fire on a tram in Utrecht, killing three people on 18 Mar 2019 Monday which took place about 10:45 local time.
“We have just been informed that the suspect has been arrested,” police chief Rob van Bree told reporters.
A photograph of him was posted on social media by police, who warned people against approaching him.
A number of raids were reportedly carried out and counter-terrorism officers were pictured surrounding a building near the 24 Oktoberplein junction, where the tram attack took place.
Meanwhile, the threat level has been reduced to level 4 following the arrest. It was earlier raised to maximum of five in the province of Utrecht.
The NCTV has reduced the threat level for the province of #utrecht to level 4. Motive is the arrest of the main suspect of the shooting. This brings the threat level for the Netherlands as a whole back to 4.
— PJ Aalbersberg NCTV (@PJAalbersberg) March 18, 2019
Just three days prior, on 15 Mar 2019 Friday, an Australian gunman Brenton Tarrant killed 50 people in Christchurch New Zealand Mosque attack.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte earlier said the country had been “jolted by an attack”, which he described as “deeply disturbing”.
