Police shoot armed man showing "confused behavior" in Utrecht

The police shot a man displaying what authorities described as “confused behavior” during a nighttime arrest near the Nedereindseplas in Utrecht, an incident that also led to the temporary closure of the A2 highway, AD reports.

The shooting occurred around midnight on the Nedereindseweg, where an arrest team confronted the man after he fled with a weapon. Authorities said the man posed an acute danger at the time of the intervention.

Police said the man initially ran toward the Nedereindseberg, a hill that is home to a cycling track and a ski slope in Nieuwegein. He was shot there by officers and later transported to a hospital.

Police have not said what type of weapon the man was carrying. His condition has not been disclosed.

A trauma helicopter was called to the scene but ultimately was not required to land. During the arrest, a police dog was also injured, authorities said.

As required in cases involving police use of firearms, the Rijksrecherche, the Dutch National Criminal Investigation Department, has opened an investigation into the incident.