Teenager stabbed last week in street fight dies from injuries
A teenaged boy stabbed in front of a Drachten cafe on December 22 died of his injuries a week later. The 16-year-old had been taken to the hospital in serious condition following the stabbing in the Friesland town.
Soon after the violent incident, a 14-year-old boy from Drachten and a 15-year-old boy from Gorredijk were taken into custody. Police have not revealed a motive for the stabbing.
A spokesperson for the prosecutor's office (OM) said the two are only allowed contact with their parents and their attorney, according to the Leeuwarden Courant.
The stabbing took place around 9 p.m. First responders were called to the scene, and found the boy in front of Cafe Pietje Bel. While paramedics worked on him, an angry crowd gathered several meters away. The boy was eventually taken to a hospital in Groningen, as the crowd began arguing with a police officer trying to enforce a cordoned-off area.
After one man shouted in the police officer's face, the police officer could be seen on video swinging a weapon at the man, which then led to a brief fight. One police officer received a facial injury and was treated at an area hospital.
In a Facebook post, a man named "Ricardo" claiming to be the victim's cousin said he was the person seen on video getting into a fight with police. He said he was upset and panicked when he saw his "sweet little cousin" bleeding on the ground. He claimed the fight started when he the cop ordered him to leave the crime scene as he comforted the victim's brother. Ricardo said that's when the police officer tried to strike Ricardo's uncle.
"We were not trained for this, but Mr. Police Officer and his colleagues were, right?" he said. "Is it right to want to slap the family aside?" he asked, wondering this as his cousin bled.
‘Hulpverleners belaagd bij ernstig steekincident Drachten, agent naar ziekenhuis’ - https://t.co/joXPJ0PKd5 #Friesland pic.twitter.com/op1SGeJUnD
— Noordernieuws (@noordernieuws) December 22, 2019