Fatal stabbing at Middelburg psychiatric institute

Correction: A previous version of this article stated that a male victim was killed as the result of a stabbing at an Emergis location in August. The victim in that incident did not die of his injuries, according to an Emergis spokesperson.

A stabbing at an Emergis psychiatric care institution in Middelburg resulted in the death of a male patient on Saturday night. A female patient was arrested. Director Paul de Schipper called the incident "terrible" and said that it happened "completely out of the blue", RTL Nieuws reports.

The stabbing happened in the Emergis location on Hof van Sint Peter, which is a type of assisted living home for people with psychiatric- or addiction problems. The home has room for 22 people between the ages of 18 and 65 years. They receive counseling and are being prepared for living independently, so they have their own keys, according to the broadcaster.

Two counselors were present for shift change at the time of the stabbing. According to De Schipper, the woman stabbed the victim only once, but that was enough to kill him. De Schipper and the other employees are completely shocked b the event. "There was no built-up tension, the stabbing was really completely out of the blue", he said to RTL Nieuws. "The atmosphere was relaxed all day, there was really nothing going on."

The institution launched an internal investigation, and the Inspectorate for Healthcare and Youth is also investigating the stabbing. The police questioned the woman and employees of the institution. A spokesperson for the police would only say that the stabbing happened in one of the rooms, according to the broadcaster. Nothing was revealed about the identity of the victim or perpetrator.

This is the second fatal stabbing to happen at an Emergis home in a short time, according to broadcaster NOS. In August a man was severely injured when stabbed by a fellow patient at an Emergis location in Oostburg. This incident had to do with an argument about the use of alcohol and drugs that got out of control, De Schipper said to NOS. The incident at the Middelburg location was something completely different, according to him .