Automatic weapons used to shoot up car in Amsterdam; Three arrested just before attack

Two men fired multiple gunshots at a black Mercedes vehicle during the shooting in Amsterdam Nieuw-West on Sunday. Just before the shooting, the police also arrested three men who were in possession of automatic firearms.

Police said they were investigating to determine if the two cases are linked. There were no injuries in the shooting.

Kogel door je raam …….. #maassluisstraat pic.twitter.com/5kdrS8EEMw

— Ewart T (@etxxx) May 16, 2021

Around 7:40 p.m. on Sunday, a witness reportedly heard gunshots in Maassluisstraat. A video from the scene also showed that two perpetrators jumped into a gray van and left the street at high speed immediately after firing shots.

“It looked like fireworks, but when I looked outside, I saw two guys with machine guns. They fired at a black Mercedes and left in a van,” a witness said to Het Parool.

Dozens of shell casings were found on the street

Vanavond een #schietpartij aan de #Maassluisstraat in #Amsterdam, in de buurt is de vermoedelijke vluchtauto in de brand gestoken pic.twitter.com/IcGpxzKhcz

— Michel van Bergen (@mvbergen) May 16, 2021

Shortly after the shooting, a van was found in flames in the August Vermeylenstraat. Police indicated on social media that it was the escape vehicle used by the suspects.

The police announced that three people were arrested in a car on Cornelis Lelylaan just before the shooting. Automatic firearms were found inside the vehicle, which was stopped not far from the Maassluisstraat scene.

A lot of police officers were present at the scene after the shooting and a police helicopter was also deployed. Several cars were also damaged during the shooting but there were no casualties. The street was cordoned off for the investigation, the newspaper said.

The police are still investigating the possible connection between the events.