Dutch police investigating if assault led to Polish man’s death

The police are trying to figure out what actually caused the death of a 40-year-old Polish man from Bunschoten-Spakenburg. Investigators think the man from Bunschoten-Spakenburg may have been assaulted on Sunday, October 28.

A few days later, on October 31, the police responded to a report of an unwell person. “It turned out to be Rafal from Bunschoten-Spakenburg,” the police said. His condition deteriorated rapidly, and he died in the hospital on November 3. “The police are still investigating the exact cause of death. A crime cannot be ruled out at this time.”

Though he was hospitalized with severe injuries, police said they do not know what caused the injuries. The police suspect that the man may have been attacked on October 28. That evening, he cycled a few hundred meters from Oude Bocht on the municipalities north side, then along the Groen van Prinsterersingel and on to the Jan Schoutenplantsoen. He returned on the same route later that evening, but he no longer had his bicycle and completed the journey on foot.

Police are investigating whether Rafal was assaulted, and robbed of his bicycle. Investigators asked witnesses or anyone with relevant information or camera footage to come forward.

In addition to distributing a bulletin in Dutch, police also sent out information in Polish. Authorities hoped this could lead to detectives receiving more tips in the case. A spokesperson for the police told RTV Utrecht that the outreach to the Polish community was not meant to imply that they think the potential suspect is Polish.