Several killed in Rotterdam shootings at university hospital

Two shootings at a university hospital and a nearby home in Rotterdam have caused at least two deaths, according to Dutch authorities.

A 39-year-old woman and a 42-year-old teacher at Erasmus University were killed, local police chief Fred Westerbeke said at a news conference. The 14-year-old daughter of the woman was also shot and seriously injured.

A 32-year-old man – who was a student at Erasmus University – was arrested after the shootings at the Erasmus Medical Centre and the nearby apartment. He was detained under the hospital’s helipad, with police confirming that the Rotterdam resident was a suspect in both shootings.

Fire also broke out at both locations, local authorities said, adding that the man – wearing military clothing and carrying a handgun – had opened fire in a classroom at the university hospital. No motive was immediately announced.

The force initially said the gunman may have left the scene on a motorbike, but they later said an arrest team was checking the medical centre to establish if he was still in the building. They added they did not believe any other shooters were involved.

Videos posted online showed police instructing students, some wearing medical gowns, to run outside as heavily armed arrest teams arrived at the scene.

One video showed a man in handcuffs wearing what appeared to be camouflage pants, whilst the Erasmus Medical Centre appealed on social media for people not to attend the hospital.

Police were still in search of possible victims or people hiding on Thursday evening, Dutch news agency ANP reported citing police.

“This is a very dark day,” caretaker Minister of Justice and Security Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius was quoted by newspaper de Telegraaf as saying in comments made in Brussels.