Amsterdam police confirmed Saturday that the suspect behind a mass stabbing spree near the busy Dam Square area is a Ukrainian migrant originally from the embattled Donetsk region.
The stabbing incident, which occurred Thursday afternoon, wounded five random victims — two elderly American tourists, a Belgian woman, a Dutch woman and a Polish national. Authorities are still investigating the suspect’s motive, which remains unclear at this time.
Police struggled initially to verify the suspect’s identity due to multiple fake documents and his refusal to cooperate. Eventually, they identified him as Roman D., a 30-year-old Ukrainian who arrived in Amsterdam one day before the attack, according to hotel records.
The attacker was swiftly captured thanks to an English tourist who bravely chased him down and restrained him until police arrived. The tourist’s decisive action has earned him praise from city officials, including Amsterdam’s Mayor Femke Halsema, who honored him publicly.
During the altercation with the English tourist, Roman D. sustained a leg injury, leading authorities to hospitalize him at a secure medical facility in Scheveningen.
Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders expressed frustration upon learning the suspect’s migrant background, stating simply: “And we keep paying.”
Roman D. is scheduled to appear before a judge on Monday, April 1, for further legal proceedings, where the court will decide on the continuation of his detention. Police have emphasized that their investigation into the motive behind the assault is actively ongoing.
