Fatal shooting in Meppel leaves 26-year-old dead
A 26-year-old man from Raalte was shot and killed in Meppel Friday evening. The shooting took place on Van Ewijcksingel.
According to RTV Drenthe, security camera footage from a nearby apartment shows that five to six shots were fired. Following the shots, two cars speed away in opposite directions.
Several neighbors have footage of the shooting, showing the victim lying motionless on the ground.
At first, some neighbors thought they heard fireworks. "I heard five or six bangs, but at first I didn’t think much of it," one neighbor told RTV Drenthe.
Soon, the street was filled with shouting, and some people called emergency services. "I saw the victim lying on the ground," said a man who was picking up his wife from work at the time of the shooting. "Shortly after, my wife and I returned and found half the street cordoned off. They spent a long time trying to resuscitate him."
According to neighbors, the footage is circulating on WhatsApp groups and TikTok. The police requested that the video not be shared further to show respect for the victim and their family.
The police have launched an investigation. Nothing is yet known about the motive behind the shooting, and no arrests have been made.
Mayor Maathuis responded with shock to the incident. "I am deeply shocked by the shooting that took place this evening. My first thoughts are with the victim's relatives. I have enormous respect for the emergency services and for the residents who immediately went to help. Despite their efforts, we must mourn a fatal victim tonight."
