Dutch King, Rotterdam mayor visit neighborhood affected by shootings last week
King Willem-Alexander visited on Monday the neighborhood in Rotterdam where a woman and her daughter were shot and killed in the shootings that shook the city on Thursday, Rijmond reported. He was accompanied by Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb and Hugo Hillenaar, the head of Rotterdam's district office of the Public Prosecution Service.
The king arrived around 3:30 p.m. and briefly stopped at the spot where Marlous and Romy were fatally shot by their neighbor, Fouad L., at their Heiman Dullaertplein residence. Upon his arrival, the first thing King Willem-Alexander did was to silently observe the vast sea of flowers laid out in memory of the victims, the local broadcaster reported.
King Willem-Alexander then visited the community center Delfshaven located opposite the house where the mother and daughter who died lived. There, he spoke with relatives of the victims, witnesses of the shooting, and students and employees of Erasmus MC. "The relatives and neighbors have talked about their feelings and the questions they have," the Royal House wrote in a press release.
The King also spoke with employees of the police, the fire brigade, and medical aid organizations about their efforts during the events on Thursday.
Three people lost their lives in two separate shootings last Thursday. Fouad L. is accused of shooting and killing Marlous and Romy before heading to Erasmus MC where he is accused of killing lecturer and GP Jurgen Damen. SWAT teams later arrested L. at the university hospital.
Posts by L. on 4chan suggest that he killed the woman and child, his neighbors, for reporting him for animal abuse. Other posts on the platform indicated that he was far-right leaning, with extremist views.
He will be arraigned on Wednesday, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) in Rotterdam announced on Monday. It was revealed on Monday that L. was nearing a point where he was to be evicted from his home after falling behind on his rent.
