Victim in Amsterdam Central Station stabbing is a tourist, 32; German man in custody
Police said the victim in a stabbing at the Ibis Hotel next to Amsterdam's Central Station is a 32-year-old man who was visiting as a tourist. The man was hospitalized with multiple stab wounds, and was recovering on Friday afternoon. The stabbing was believed to be a random incident.
— Vincent Belgraver (@vbelgraver) March 9, 2023
The victim was in the hotel lobby with a group of friends when he was attacked at about 11:15 p.m. on Thursday. Police officers spotted the suspect carrying a knife close to the hotel, which is next door to the city's primary train and bus station. Many officers rushed to the area to provide assistance.
Police confirmed that officers used several weapons when taking the man into custody, including their guns to fire multiple warning shots. They also used their electroshock weapons, police said. Earlier reports noted that the suspect did not respond to their instructions calling for his surrender.
The suspect, who police chased in front of the station, was tackled near the western entrance to the train station. He was identified as a 28-year-old German with no fixed address.
"The investigative team is assuming that the victim and the suspect did not likely know each other," police said in a statement. "The detectives are investigating the stabbing incident and the suspect's possible motive."
A police internal affairs team is investigating the incident to determine if the police officers acted lawfully when using the weapons at their disposal.