Several injured in Dutch tram shooting, ‘terrorist motive’ possible: police

Utrecht: Several people have been injured in shooting in Dutch city of Utrecht, reported.

"Shooting incident... Several injured people reported. Assistance started," the Utrecht police Twitter account said. "It is a shooting incident in a tram. Several trauma helicopters have been deployed to provide help."

"A possible terrorist motive is part of the investigation", Utrecht police said on Twitter. 

The head of the Dutch national counter-terrorism service, Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg, said on Twitter that he was having "crisis consultations", adding: "Terrorist motive not excluded. Information not yet full."

The Utrecht police said a square at a tram station outside the city centre had been cordoned off



as emergency services were at the scene.

The shooting took place at about 10:45 local time (09:45 GMT). Three helicopters have been despatched.

“Several shots were fired in a tram and several people were injured. Helicopters are at the scene and no arrests have been made,” police spokesman Joost Lanshage was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Local media showed photographs of masked, armed police and emergency vehicles surrounding a tram that had stopped near a road bridge.

Local broadcaster RTV Utrecht quoted an eyewitness as saying he had seen a woman lying on the ground amid some kind of confrontation. Several men ran away from the scene, the witness said.

More details are awaited.