Utrecht Mayor urges action on care for disturbed individuals after fatal stabbings

Utrecht's Mayor Sharon Dijksma has called on the Dutch government to take urgent action on providing adequate care for people with disturbed behavior after two fatal incidents in the region. She criticized the delay in solutions, emphasizing that the government must act before more lives are lost. "It’s just a matter of waiting for the next victim," said Dijksma.

In the past month, two deaths occurred in Dijksma's region. In Den Dolder, a 76-year-old woman was fatally stabbed by a patient from the Fivoor psychiatric institution. Shortly afterward, an 11-year-old girl, Sohani, was killed in a stabbing in Nieuwegein. “These are tragic events that have a profound impact,” Dijksma said.

Despite years of attention to the issue, Dijksma argued that the Dutch government has failed to find effective solutions for people with disturbed behavior. “This issue has been on the political agenda for years with much energy, but there have been very few solutions,” she said. Dijksma spoke not only for Utrecht but also for neighboring municipalities like Zeist and Nieuwegein, expressing growing concern over the handling of these situations.

Three inspections, including the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security, are conducting broad investigations into severe, fatal incidents where people with disturbed behavior were either the perpetrator or a suspect. These investigations were prompted by the death of 11-year-old Sohani in Nieuwegein, who was fatally stabbed by Hamza L., a man previously convicted of violent crimes. Several reports had been filed about his behavior before the stabbing occurred.

Mayor Dijksma highlighted the core issue: the lack of adequate care facilities for people with disturbed behavior. "There simply aren’t enough places, and while there are many studies being conducted, it's just a matter of waiting for the next victim to fall," she said. “How many Sohanis does it take for the government to take action?”

While investigations continue, Dijksma emphasized that they often result in the same conclusions. "We know what the outcome will be. We’ve seen it before," she said. Since the 2015 Els Borst murder investigation by the Hoekstra Commission, several inquiries have been conducted into violent incidents involving people with disturbed behavior. Despite recommendations, such as better data sharing between police, justice, and mental health institutions, incidents of fatal violence by mentally ill individuals persist. Dijksma pointed out, “It's always the same result."

For instance, a 2017 report highlighted the lack of oversight regarding Philip O., a criminal who had been known to authorities for over ten years but was still able to commit murder. Similarly, last year, after a fatal stabbing incident in The Hague, the Ministry of Justice and Security concluded that authorities had insufficient grip on people with disturbed behavior.

Rein Jan Hoekstra, who led the investigation into the Els Borst murder, expressed frustration in response to the ongoing failures. "Do the parliament and the government recognize that this is a vital issue? That it’s a matter of life and death?" Hoekstra said, after another tragic incident.

Dijksma reported seeing people wandering the streets of Utrecht, questioning whether they were receiving appropriate care. “Some of them need a combination of care and restriction,” she said. “For some individuals, it's just not safe for them to be out alone in society. They need specialized care while under supervision.”

As the demand for care facilities grows, Dijksma expressed concern that the number of available spaces is shrinking. “It feels like mopping the floor with the tap still running. The number of spaces in this region is actually decreasing, and this worries me deeply,” she said. She acknowledged that the government faces financial constraints but emphasized that addressing this issue must be a priority.

Dijksma stressed that the solution isn’t limited to the mental health care system alone. “It’s about more than just the mental health institutions. It’s also about addiction problems and homelessness,” she said. “If we’re not willing to invest in providing proper care for these people, then we’re just waiting for the next incident to happen. And I think we should do everything in our power to prevent that.”