Escaped psych prisoner shot dead by police

Two patients escaped from a psychiatric prison in Poortugaal, Zuid-Holland on Sunday afternoon. They took an employee hostage under threat of a firearm and knife, and then fled. During their arrest, one was shot by the police and killed, the Public Prosecution said.

The two psychiatric prisoners escaped from clinic Kijvelanden at around 4:30 p.m. Once outside, they got into a taxi and drove off. The police gave chase and brought the taxi to a halt on the A15 near Kesteren in Gelderland,

The escaped convicts fled into a nearby business park. In a firefight with the police, one of the men was hit. He died at the scene. The Rijksrecherche, the department that handles internal investigations at government services like the police, is investigating the shooting. This is standard procedure whenever a police officer fires his or her service weapon.

The other convict and the taxi driver were arrested and are in custody.

The employee who was taken hostage during the escape, sustained minor injuries.