No prison time for Rotterdam terrorism suspect in fatal Erasmus Bridge stabbing
A 23-year-old man who killed a German man and injured another in a stabbing attack at Rotterdam’s Erasmus Bridge on September 19, 2024, will receive treatment under forced psychiatric supervision (TBS with involuntary care), the court ruled Friday, concluding that his actions cannot be criminally punished due to severe mental illness.
The man, from Amersfoort, traveled to Rotterdam that evening, purchased two large kitchen knives, and attacked a 32-year-old German man who was skating at the foot of the Erasmus Bridge. He then chased others, making stabbing motions with the knives, and fatally wounded no one else. A 33-year-old Swiss man was seriously injured at Remastered, a digital art museum, before bystanders subdued the suspect. Witnesses, including kickboxing trainer David Litecia, threw chairs and intervened to stop him.
During the attack, the suspect repeatedly shouted “Allahu akbar.” Investigators found he had previously read a book on armed jihad, listened to extremist recordings for hours, and viewed IS execution videos. Prosecutors had alleged a terrorist motive, asserting the attack was intended to spread fear.
However, the court ruled the man is not criminally responsible. Experts at the Pieter Baan Centrum determined he acted under the influence of severe psychosis. He has suffered from schizophrenia and psychotic episodes since age 18. During these episodes, he experienced hallucinations, heard voices, and fixated obsessively on religious themes. In 2022, he had stabbed his mother during a psychotic episode, also shouting “Allahu akbar,” and was deemed fully non-responsible at that time.
“The court concludes that while the acts caused horrifying pain and fear, the defendant’s mental disorder dictated his behavior,” the judgment stated. As such, he will not face a prison sentence. Instead, he will receive treatment under forced psychiatric supervision.
The court also ordered the man to pay damages: 17,500 euros each to the parents and partner of the deceased German man, and 18,500 euros to the Swiss victim who survived.
Prosecutors had originally demanded a 20-year prison sentence with mandatory psychiatric treatment, citing the premeditated and terror-driven nature of the attack. But the court found the defendant’s severe psychosis rendered him incapable of criminal responsibility, overriding the prosecution’s request.
Both the prosecution and the defense have the right to appeal the verdict, the psychiatric treatment order, or both. They have 14 days to file an appeal.
