Police officer to be criminally investigated for shooting at car in Leeuwarden

A police officer is being criminally investigated by the Public Prosecution Service for possibly wrongful shooting at two men from Leeuwarden who were inside a car, police reported. This happened on January 13 in Leeuwarden after a report of a break-in. Both of the occupants were severely injured. They were arrested, but the subsequent investigation proved they had nothing to do with the break-in.

The police received reports of a break-in at the Reintje Visser-Beardastrjitte in the Friesland village of Hempens in Leeuwarden at around 1:15 a.m. The suspects had allegedly threatened the victim while in possession of a weapon. They then left the scene in a car. Officers found a car nearby with two people sitting inside of it. The two men, aged 33 and 34, were stopped before they drove away, which led to the police shooting at them.

One of the occupants of the car was hit by a bullet. The vehicle went off the road a short while later, and both occupants were seriously injured. They were brought to the hospital.

The Public Prosecution Service said in a statement that the officer of the Eenheid Landelijke Expertise en Operaties unit may not have acted in accordance with the violence instruction.

He has been identified as a suspect and is being questioned, the Public Prosecution Service announced on Thursday.