Child stabbed to death in Rotterdam home; Soldier, 22, arrested in latest Charlois violence

A child was killed Saturday afternoon in a stabbing at a home in the Charlois neighborhood of Rotterdam. The incident happened on Wolphaertsbocht at about 5:15 p.m., police said. A 22-year-old from Rotterdam was taken into custody.

“The victim, a child, was taken to hospital but died,” police said in a statement. The child’s age and gender was not released.

The suspect is a soldier who is currently serving in the Dutch military, authorities confirmed to Rijnmond and ANP. An investigation was ongoing at the home on Sunday night.

Because of the suspect’s active duty status, a branch of the military will be in charge of the case. “The Marechaussee is taking over the investigation into this sad incident and will now also be the spokesperson for this,” police confirmed.

It marked the latest violent incident in Rotterdam-Charlois in a rocky 24 hour period. One man was shot in the neck and another was stabbed after an argument turned vicious on Schilperoortstraat just before 2:30 a.m. on Sunday. The person with the gunshot wound was hospitalized, and the stabbing victim suffered minor injuries,

Police also confirmed that an arsonist set a house on fire late on Saturday night on Zuidhoek. Neighbors believed that a firebombing took place there, and told a media outlet that a man wearing a hoodie was seen running from the area. There were no injuries.

Outside of Charlois, but still in Rotterdam, another person was hit in a drive-by shooting on Saturday night. Stabbings also took place on Coolsingel and Nieuwe Binnenweg on Sunday morning.