Bonaire offers $10,000 reward for tips in Dutch cop killer case

By Janene Pieters on August 19, 2016 - 08:01
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Tribute for Dutch police officer Ferry Bakx, killed in a shootout with burglars on Bonaire on 17 Aug 2016, shared on social media (Photo: @POLICEINFLA/Twitter)Tribute for Dutch police officer Ferry Bakx, killed in a shootout with burglars on Bonaire on 17 Aug 2016, shared on social media (Photo: @POLICEINFLA/Twitter)

The Public Prosecutor in Bonaire promised a $10 thousand, or around 8,800 euros, reward for the tip that leads to the arrest of the man responsible of shooting and killing a Dutch police officer on the island on Wednesday night, NOS reports.

The police officer, Ferry Bakx, was critically injured during a shootout with burglars in Kralendijk around 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday. He was rushed to the hospital, but died a short time later from his injuries. The perpetrators are still at large.

Extra checks and controls are in place at the Bonaire airport and along the coast to make sure the perpetrators do not leave the island. Additional police officers are also on duty. The Prosecutor and police on the island are taking the matter very seriously.

The authorities' main priority is to restore peace and safety on the island. "We want assure the population that all efforts are made to solve this burglary and fatal shooting as quickly as possible", a spokesperson said, according to NOS.

The Bonaire authorities are therefore calling on the public for help. Anyone with any information can contact the police. One of the perpetrators may have an injury to his face.

Bonaire is a strange Dutch municipality. The island falls under The Hague's authority, but has its own police force - the Police Corps of the Caribbean Netherlands - as well as officers from the Dutch National Police stationed there.

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