Two men shot dead in McDonald's in Zwolle

Two men were shot dead in a McDonald's in Zwolle-Noord on Wednesday evening. The victims were 57 and 62 years old and from Zwolle. The police have made no arrests yet.

The shooting happened at around 6:00 p.m. in a branch of the fast-food chain on Floresstraat. Eyewitnesses told RTV Oost that a man walked into the McDonald's, ordered food, sat down at a table, and then shot the two men.

One of the victims was already dead when the police arrived. First responders tried to resuscitate the other, but help was to no avail. Various media reported that the victims were brothers of Turkish-Kurdish descent who ran several restaurants in the Zwolle area, but the police have not confirmed this.

According to the police, many guests were in the restaurant when the shooting happened, including children. Horrified by the shooting, many guests fled and sought refuge, leaving their belongings behind. 

The police are still investigating whether one or more perpetrators are involved. Investigators called on witnesses to come forward if they hadn't spoken to the police yet. Victim support is available for those who witnessed the shooting. 

Peter Snijders, mayor of Zwolle, reacted with shock to the shooting. "My thoughts are with all those affected and the relatives of the victims and everyone who was an unsolicited eyewitness." Snijders visited the McDonald's on Wednesday evening to get information and support the staff. "You don't expect such extreme violence here, and it does not belong here," said the mayor. 

"There are two victims to mourn. I am very shocked by this violent event, which has a lot of impact on the employees and the visitors present. Victim support is available to those who need it," Snijders said. 

"We feel terrible for the relative of the victims, the guests, and our crew," McDonald's Netherlands said in response to the shooting. "Obviously, we offer our team all the necessary aftercare," a spokesperson said.