Motive remains unknown in Dam Square stabbings that injured five people

The motive of Roman D., accused of stabbing five people near Dam Square in Amsterdam on March 27, is still unknown. The issue came to light on Thursday during the third preliminary court session in the case.

D. has continued to remain silent, and according to the Public Prosecution Service (OM), witness statements have so far shed no light on his motives. Prosecutors are therefore keeping all possibilities open, “from guidance by an unknown actor to a personal psychosocial motive.” Notes discovered on D.’s phone did not provide clarity either, though investigators believe he had some kind of plan in place.

Experts from the Netherlands Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology are currently assessing the Ukrainian suspect. The OM expects its report to be finalized in January, with the next court hearing set for January 27.

The victims of D. were tourists from Poland, the United States, Australia, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The Polish man,26, was the first victim to be discharged from the hospital, while four of the victims initially remained hospitalized for several days. The Belgian victim, 73, sustained severe injuries that led to her having to be transferred to a rehabilitation center for long-term recovery.

All victims were reportedly stabbed in the upper body, near the lungs. The OM noted that two women had the knives left behind in their bodies. The OM stated during a court session that the victims, including the Dutch victim, narrowly escaped death and would not have survived without timely medical intervention.