On Saturday, Dutch police revealed the suspect arrested for a stabbing spree near Amsterdam’s busy Dam Square is a 30-year-old Ukrainian migrant from Donetsk.
The incident, which took place Thursday afternoon, resulted in injuries to five individuals — two elderly Americans, aged 67 and 69, a 73-year-old Belgian woman, a Polish man and a young Dutch woman. Police described the victims as randomly selected by the attacker.
Authorities experienced difficulty confirming the suspect’s identity, as he carried multiple fake documents and initially refused cooperation. After extended investigation, police identified him as Roman D., who had checked into an Amsterdam hotel the day before the attacks.
The suspect was detained by an English tourist who chased and physically restrained him until police officers arrived at the scene. Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema publicly recognized the tourist’s heroic effort, awarding him an official commendation.
During the altercation, the suspect sustained an injury to his leg. He is currently hospitalized at the secure prison hospital in Scheveningen under police supervision and will appear before a judge Monday, April 1, to address further detention.
Geert Wilders, a prominent Dutch politician, reacted critically upon learning that the attacker was a Ukrainian migrant. Wilders remarked on social media, “And we keep paying,” voicing apparent frustration about migration-related policies.
Police emphasized that the investigation into the stabbing incident remains active and ongoing, as they continue to explore potential motives behind Roman D.’s actions.
