Oisterwijk primary school evacuated over "aggressive, possible armed" man

A primary school in Oisterwijk was evacuated Tuesday morning after an “aggressive, and possibly armed” man entered the building, police said. The suspect managed to evade capture, but all children and teachers who were in the school were brought to safety.

The incident happened at about 8 a.m. at De Coppele, a primary school in the Noord-Brabant town just east of Tilburg. There were dozens of students inside when the man entered the building on Willem de Zwijgerlaan, according to Omroep Brabant.

The man allegedly used threatening language once inside, prompting the call to authorities. “At the moment, it is still too early to say something about a possible motive. Further investigation will be needed to prove this,” police said.

A police tactical team was sent to the scene, and a police helicopter was circling the area. Investigators were unable to confirm whether the man was armed with any weapons or explosives. Police stated in an update around 9:15 a.m., “We are doing everything we can to remove the threat and limit its consequences.”

It was not clear if the suspect was still inside the school and if he was the same subject of reports about a disturbed individual elsewhere in the town.

The school remained closed later in the morning, and the public was asked to avoid the area.