Motive remains unknown in Oosterhout shootings that left three dead in March

The motive behind the deadly shootings in Oosterhout, Noord-Brabant, on March 28 is still unclear, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) said during the first preparatory hearing of the three suspects in the high-security courtroom at Schiphol. The OM emphasized that the investigation into the motive for the "extreme violence" is ongoing.

The two shootings, which took place in broad daylight within a short time of each other, left three victims dead: two 32-year-old men and a 25-year-old man, all from Oosterhout. The suspects, two men and a woman, are from Sweden, and the OM says they traveled specifically from Sweden to carry out the attacks.

According to the OM, the two men, 29-year-old Tobias J. and 24-year-old Sman O., committed the murders, with O. acting as the shooter and J. as the getaway driver.

The female suspect, 28-year-old Veronica K., is believed to have orchestrated the murders. She reportedly picked up the suspects at Zaventem airport in Belgium and supplied them with the weapons used in the killings.

All three suspects were arrested in June in Germany and Sweden. J. was the only one to appear in court on Friday. So far, all three have remained silent.

During the first shooting on Loevesteinlaan in Oosterhout, a car was reportedly forced to stop, the prosecutor said. One of the suspects then allegedly exited the vehicle and shot the driver. The attackers fled but returned shortly afterward to shoot at occupants of another car on nearby Sint Antoniusstraat. Two victims died shortly after the shootings, while the third succumbed to his injuries in hospital several weeks later.

The investigation will continue over the coming months. Very little is currently known about the suspects’ communication prior to the triple murder, though they reportedly used Snapchat. Accessing these messages will take time, as they are automatically deleted 24 hours after being viewed.

The murder weapon has not yet been found. The same applies to two electric scooters that the suspects reportedly used to flee after leaving their car in Teteringen. DNA from suspect O. was discovered on a face mask and a pair of sunglasses left in the vehicle.

The next preparatory hearing is scheduled for December 22.