‘Multiple deaths’ after man in military gear opens fire at Rotterdam hospital

People have been killed in the Netherlands after a man wearing military clothing opened fire at a Rotterdam home and a hospital, police said.

City police said a shooting erupted at a classroom inside the Erasmus Medical Center, a university hospital.

Another person was injured earlier inside a residence on Heiman Dullaertplein about 1.5km away in the Lloydkwartier neighbourhood of the port city.

‘The two shooting incidents in Rotterdam resulted in fatalities,’ police said on X, formerly known as Twitter, at 5.30pm local time.

Officers are informing the next of kin before realising any further details.

Rotterdam police said an hour earlier that a man, 32, had been arrested.

He was handcuffed on the hospital’s helipad. Detectives do not suspect there was a second shooter.

Erasmus MC Rotterdam on Rochussenstraat has been cordoned off (Picture: Hollandse Hoogte/Shutterstock)

Police say they have arrested a man (Picture: Hollandse Hoogte/Shutterstock)

‘His possible role and involvement in the shooting incidents is being investigated,’ the force said.

RTV Rijnmond reported that two children were inside the home at the time of the shooting.

There was a fire at the house, which has since been put out, the Dutch news agency NOS said.

Photographs posted on social media show another fire tearing through the teaching hospital, which is affiliated with Erasmus University.

An eyewitness told the Dutch news network RTL that a ‘molotov cocktail’ was allegedly used.

Photos show a fire has torn through the classroom (Picture: X/@ADinmohamed)

The medical student claimed up to five bullets were fired on the fourth floor of the hospital before the weapon was thrown.

‘Everyone heard the explosions,’ they said, ‘I think 400 or 500 people.’

Another witness told NOS: ‘There was a lot of panic and screaming. I was in the hospital. 

‘I fled from there to the Sophia Children’s Hospital, where I am now safe. We are not allowed to leave the building and have to wait and see what happens.’

Medical staff and patients spilt out of the hospital after the shooting (Picture: Hollandse Hoogte/Shutterstock)

An eyewitness at the Erasmus MC hospital said they heard ‘screaming’ (Picture: EPA)

Armed police officers attended the scene (Picture: EPA)

Erasmus MC added on X that due to ‘various incidents’ people are advised not to go to the hospital.

Police evacuated all medical students and staff.

City police said earlier this afternoon that a man – described as a tall man wearing ‘combat clothes’ – had left the scene on a motorcycle.

‘Two shooting incidents took place on September 28 in a house at Heiman Dullaertplein and in a classroom at EMC at Rochussenlaan in Rotterdam,’ police said in the post on X.

‘Two people were injured. The police are investigating.’

Speaking to reporters in Brussels at around 5.10pm, per Dutch newspaper AD, outgoing Justice Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz said: ‘My thoughts are with victims, bystanders, family, friends, care providers and police officers.’

The shootings, she added, show ‘once again what important work’ law enforcement does.

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