Vinkeveen fatal shooting after Harbour Club party was self-defense, the court rules

The man who shot and killed a 27-year-old man who was attempting to assassinate him in Vinkeveen last year acted in self-defense, the court in Utrecht ruled on Monday. Therefore, Valengino M. cannot be held accountable and is acquitted of all charges.

This shooting happened in the parking lot of the Leonardo Hotel on Groenlandsekade in Vinkeveen around 4:30 a.m. on March 6, 2023. M. was ambushed after a party at the Harbour Club by the later victim and his accomplice, who was driving the car. Footage from a dashcam and security cameras shows the shooter spotting his target, running after him, and firing. He missed, and when his weapon apparently jammed, he began to beat M. with it.

M. suffered a skull base fracture and leg fractures. The shooter ran back to the car to get another weapon. Initially, the car drove off but then returned, and the later victim, leaning out of the back window, opened fire again on the injured M., who returned fire and killed the 27-year-old man. The Public Prosecution Service described the parking lot shooting as a "Wild West scene."

The central question in the case was whether M. acted in self-defense. The court agreed, in line with the Public Prosecution Service and the defense, that this was the case. M. had no other way to defend himself than to shoot back, and due to his injuries, he could not flee.

M. also faces no charges for possessing a firearm, as the court deemed it "connected" to the self-defense situation. He is thus acquitted of all charges.

The exact background of the shooting remains unknown, according to the Public Prosecution Service. Media outlets like Nu.nl and Het Parool reported that M. was associated with criminal Richard R., also known as Rico the Chilean.

The driver of the car, in which the 27-year-old was a passenger, had previously received a 14-year sentence for his role in the failed assassination.