Three injured in shooting at Caribbean Carnival in Rotterdam

Carnival turning into tragedy. Three people were injured in a shooting at a Caribbean “summer carnival” in downtown Rotterdam, Dutch police said in a statement on Sunday, saying three people were arrested, including the shooter and the female victim.

Law enforcement agencies of the port city did not name the motive for the shooting that occurred on Saturday at 20:45, saying that they opened fire on the shooter.

“The police saw the suspect shoot the victim. They then fired several shots at the suspect,” the police said in a statement. “The suspect and the victim were taken to the hospital and arrested,” she continued. “The woman was injured as a result of a fall as she was leaving the scene,” she said.

The incident took place near Coolsingel, a large boulevard in the city center. Shortly thereafter, a third suspect was detained nearby, law enforcement said.

Second shoot of the day

For safety reasons, the “summer carnival” stopped the program after the shooting, public broadcaster NOS said.

Local broadcaster TV Rijnmond posted a video on its Instagram account showing a gun between tram tracks, a large police presence and a man being taken away by an ambulance. After the shooting, “there were screams and people running in all directions,” the channel reports.

Another shooting occurred earlier in the same location earlier in the day. “There appears to be no connection between the two incidents, but the possibility is being investigated,” police said. “The National Directorate of the Judicial Police, headed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, is investigating the shooting by the police,” she said.

Scheduled from Friday to Sunday in the port city, the “Summer Carnival” describes itself as a big “Caribbean gathering” including concerts, a parade, art and culinary stands.

Later that evening, around 10:30 p.m., a 29-year-old Rotterdam resident was shot in the city center after being stabbed, according to a Rotterdam police Twitter account.