Police shoot at suspect in “threatening” King’s Day incident in The Hague

Police officers shot at an already injured suspect during an arrest in The Hague on King’s Day. They were sent to the scene to try to calm a situation involving a man who used a sharp object to wound himself at about 5:30 p.m. It was not clear if the individual was also struck by gunfire.

“Due to a threatening situation at the beginning of the evening, the police fired shots at a man,” police confirmed. “The suspect was injured and taken to hospital.”

A police spokesperson told Omroep West that the man the severely injured man was standing in the middle of Bezuidenhoutseweg when police arrived. They cordoned off the area and tried in vain to get the situation under control.

The situation was “quite threatening,” a police spokesperson told ANP. The spokesperson would not disclose the nature of the man’s injuries, nor his condition. Details about his age and hometown were undisclosed.

There were many adults and children on the street due to the national holiday, and many people witnessed the incident and aftermath. They were given access to victim support services, the regional broadcaster reported.

The case was handed over to the Rijksrecherche. The independent organization operates under the Public Prosecution Service and investigates government offices for possible criminal offenses, including the use of force by police officers.

Records show first responders were sent to the scene on Bezuidenhoutseweg at about 5:30 p.m. More paramedics and a trauma team in a helicopter were dispatched less than 15 minutes later.