Chaos in Venlo neighborhood after fatal shooting

A 22-year-old man was killed in a shooting in the Venlo neighborhood of Blerick on Wednesday afternoon. A 21-year-old man from Tegelen was arrested. Following the shooting, angry local residents took to the streets and started throwing stones and sticks at the police. The riot police had to intervene, AD reports.

The shooting incident started on Diependijkstraat around 1:30 p.m., according to the police. The victim was found on Nieuwborgstraat.

This is the third serious shooting in the neighborhood in just over two months. Late in August 44-year-old Kemal Zengin was shot and killed. So far, no arrests were made. On October 20th, two people were wounded in a shooting on Sint Willebrordstraat. Two men were arrested and are still in custody. 

The police can not yet comment on motives for Wednesday's shootings. But they believe that more people than the arrested man were involved, AD reports.

On Wednesday evening, Venlo mayor Antoin Scholten announced that there will be a large police presence on the Blerick streets in the coming days. "We want to restore calm in the neighborhood", he said, adding that he understands why local residents are scared and upset. According to him, the previous two shootings were drug related. He wants the police to investigate whether the shootings are connected.

Newspaper De Limburger reported that the 22-year-old man killed on Wednesday is a relative of a former drug baron in Venlo. The police could not confirm that. 

On Friday the mayor will meet with representatives of the police and Public Prosecutor to discuss how to handle and stop the violence plaguing Blerick. Scholten will also meet with representatives of the neighborhood.