Dutch fugitive targeted in Dominican Republic assassination attempt

The target of an assassination attempt in the Las Terrenas region of the Dominican Republic on Tuesday turned out to be a Dutch fugitive. The man is on Interpol's Red List for several serious crimes he committed in the Netherlands, several Dominican media outlets reported.

Two men on a scooter fired four bullets at the fugitive on Tuesday while he was driving. The Hyundai Tucson he was driving then collided with another vehicle, and flipped over on its side. The gunmen escaped, and remain wanted by authorities.

Initially, authorities announced the man’s identity as 44-year-old Costa Rican Margaret Soto Harvey Gerardo. Later, it turned that the identity documents authorities found were forged. After working with Interpol, his true identity was uncovered, but details were not released publicly.

A search of the man’s home led police in the Dominican Republic to investigate two safes on the property. They discovered a 9 mm handgun, several clips for the weapon and another, ammunition, a knife, four Costa Rican passports, five identity cards, two vehicle license plates, two mobile phones, two watches, a wig and 120 U.S. dollars.

It is unknown if the man will be extradited to the Netherlands.

Dominican police are still investigating who shot the Dutch fugitive.