Amsterdam police announced Saturday that the suspect apprehended for a violent stabbing incident near Dam Square has been identified as a 30-year-old migrant from Ukraine’s embattled Donetsk region.
Five victims, including American, Polish, Belgian and Dutch citizens, were randomly targeted and injured in Thursday’s knife attack. Police quickly responded but faced challenges in identifying the suspect due to falsified identification and the attacker’s non-cooperation.
Following extensive verification efforts, law enforcement established the attacker’s identity as Roman D., who had arrived in Amsterdam just a day prior to the incident. The suspect is originally from Donetsk, a region now predominantly controlled by Russian forces.
Roman D.’s attempt to flee the scene was foiled by a British tourist who pursued and restrained him until police arrived. Mayor Femke Halsema publicly honored the British man, awarding him a medal recognizing his courageous intervention.
The suspect sustained an injury during the incident and is being treated in a secured hospital facility in Scheveningen. He will be brought before a judge on April 1, who will determine the terms of his ongoing custody.
Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders responded to the suspect’s revealed background by criticizing migration policies, succinctly stating, “And we keep paying.”
Amsterdam authorities confirmed their ongoing efforts to ascertain the full circumstances and possible motive behind the violent rampage, underscoring the suspect’s recent migrant status from Ukraine.
