Victims of Amsterdam stabbing identified: Americans, Belgian, and Dutch among injured

The five victims of a stabbing attack near Amsterdam’s Dam Square on Thursday afternoon have been identified. Among them are a 67-year-old woman and a 69-year-old man from the United States, a 26-year-old man from Poland, a 73-year-old woman from Belgium, and a 19-year-old woman from Amsterdam, de Volkskrant reports. Four of the victims remain hospitalized, two of them with serious injuries. One victim has already been discharged.

The attack, which took place at around 3:15 p.m., occurred in a crowded area of the city center, where the suspect allegedly began stabbing victims at random. The police initially struggled to confirm the suspect’s identity due to multiple identification documents found in his possession. However, authorities later identified him as a 30-year-old Ukrainian from the Donetsk region.

While the motive behind the attack is still under investigation, police have not ruled out any potential scenarios, including terrorism. The police force has assigned both a heavy crime officer and a counterterrorism officer to the case, indicating the seriousness of the investigation.

During the chaotic aftermath of the attack, the suspect, who was wounded, was subdued by a British tourist. The unidentified tourist, believed to be in his twenties, tackled the suspect and held him down until police arrived. Footage from the scene shows the man sitting on the suspect’s back, binding his arms, as dozens of shoppers walk past, some unaware of the ongoing arrest. Mayor Femke Halsema later expressed her gratitude to the bystander, stating she would meet with him to personally thank him for his brave actions.

The suspect, who was treated for his injuries in a hospital before being taken into custody, is set to be presented to the investigating judge on Tuesday.