Cop who fatally shot teen near Rotterdam-area McDonald’s will not face charges

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) has decided not to prosecute the officer who fatally shot a 15-year-old boy on 21 September last year during a response to a report of a stolen fat bike. The OM has concluded that the shooting was justified and that the officer acted in accordance with official police regulations The incident occurred at a McDonald’s in Capelle aan den IJssel, where a minor was robbed of his fat bike by a group of other teenagers. A firearm was involved in the robbery.

When police arrived, they saw several suspects at the location. The suspect who had used the firearm fled onto the McDonald’s terrace. The officer in pursuit, according to the OM, issued multiple verbal warnings before firing two warning shots.

As the boy continued to run, the officer fired two shots aimed at his legs. Moments later, he reached a fence and turned back toward the officer. According to the OM, “as the suspect moves, his right hand, holding the firearm, becomes visible and rises.” The officer then fired another two shots, one of which hit the boy in the chest.

The firearm carried by the 15-year-old turned out to be a modified gas pistol ready for use. “The aimed shots at the legs were, in this case, justified in order to apprehend an armed and dangerous suspect,” the OM explained. “The shot to the chest was justified to avert immediate danger to life or the risk of serious bodily injury.”

The investigation into the robbery that led up to the fatal shooting is still ongoing. Two underage suspects in the case will appear in court in closed hearings on July 3 and October 1.