Utrecht commemorates tram mass shooting with minute of silence

A minute of silence will be held in Utrecht on Wednesday morning to commemorate the victims killed or injured in a mass shooting in the city exactly a year ago today. Due to restrictions around the coronavirus banning events with more than 100 people, the public commemoration and unveiling of the memorial site were canceled.

At 10:43 a.m., the time of the attack, the Dom Tower will strike four times - once for each person killed in the shooting. This will be followed by a minute of silence, observed separately wherever you find yourself. The flags on municipal buildings are also hanging at half-mast on Wednesday.

On 18 March 2019, a man opened fire on a tram on 24 Oktoberplein. Four people were killed. Suspected gunman Gokmen T. was arrested later that same day, after an hours-long manhunt. He confessed to the shooting multiple times.

The man is charged with multiple counts of murder or manslaughter with terrorist intent, attempts thereto, and threats with terrorist intent. The Public Prosecutor demanded life in prison against the man. He will be sentenced on Friday.

The sentencing will happen as planned, despite most court cases being postponed due to the cronavirus, a spokesperson for the Central Netherlands Court confirmed to NOS earlier this wee