Four held in September Zaandam shooting; Man killed in front of schoolchildren

The police had a break through in the investigation into the very public and very violent assassination of 43 year old Lucas Boom. Four suspects were arrested over the last two weeks, the police announced on Friday. Lucas Boom was gunned down with a Kalashnikov on J. Kruijverstraat in Zaandam at around 12:20 p.m. on Tuesday June 9th. The assassination happened in sight of two primary schools and a number of children witnessed the horrific events. The perpetrators fled the scene in a brown minivan, which was later found burning on Achtersteven in Amsterdam-Noord. Two Amsterdam men, aged 34 and 23 years, were arrested. The detectives believed they were involved in committing the assassination. The police also arrested two 29 year old men from The Hague, who they believe arranged the getaway car used in the assassination. According to Kees Koreman, head of the Generic Detection Unit in Noord-Holland, the perpetrators behind the gang-related assassinations are often very difficult to find. "These are organized groups that do not shun the use of excessive force", he said. Automatic weapons are often used and getaway cars are obtained through "cunning structures" and then set on fire, which makes finding technical trace evidence nigh on impossible. Given that the victims of gangland assassinations are mostly also involved in the crime world, the police also have a hard time getting information from their relatives and friends. "Many of the victims come from the environment. Virtually no one is willing or dares to explain anything. At the same time, testimony is of immense importance if this investigation is to be completed successfully", Koreman said. "Especially here, where automatic weapons were even aimed at children." Boom, along with other Amsterdam criminals, was connected with the attempted assassination of Etou's Belserang in November 2011, the president of the Amsterdam Satudarah, according to the Telegraaf. He was also connected to cocaine trade through Antwerp. In recent years he often kept company with crime boss Willem Holleeder, who is currently standing trial for involvement in a number of assassinations.