What was meant to be a rare, sunny afternoon stroll for many in Amsterdam turned into a nightmare on Thursday, March 27, when a man armed with a knife attacked pedestrians, leaving five people wounded. The incident, which unfolded on the busy Dam Square, sent shockwaves through the city, prompting law enforcement’s immediate and large-scale response.

Officials were called just before 15:30 local time, responding to reports of a violent attack in the heart of the city. Among the victims were two American tourists in their late 60s, a 26-year-old Polish man, a 73-year-old Belgian woman and a 19-year-old Dutch local. The intent behind the suspect’s choice of victims remains unclear, but police are considering that it may have been random. Of the five victims, four are still in the hospital in stable condition. 

Bystanders attempted to intervene, with one British tourist managing to subdue the attacker before police arrived. His bravery was later recognized by Amsterdam’s mayor, Femke Halsema, who presented him with an award. The humble hero explained he wishes to stay anonymous and that he has no desire to become “famous”. 

However, not everyone reacted with urgency. According to University of Amsterdam student Natalia Romero’s testimony, many onlookers seemed frozen, watching the incident unfold without stepping in. “The area was super busy, but despite a lot of people being there, I felt like everyone was looking, and no one was helping; people weren’t reacting,” she recounted. 

Another University of Amsterdam student who was working in a nearby store at the time of the attack recalled the confusion and fear that spread throughout the area. “At first, I didn’t understand what was happening. Customers were visibly shaken into the shop; others were just as confused as I was,” she said. “Eventually, I started piecing it together from what customers were saying. And soon after, we started hearing sirens and a helicopter.” The combination of the blaring sirens from countless approaching emergency vehicles heightened the tension, and the gravity of the situation quickly became clear to everyone in the area.

Following a citizen’s arrest with the help of the British tourist, the suspect, a 30-year-old Ukrainian national from the Donetsk region was arrested on the scene by the police. On April 1, the examining magistrate of the Amsterdam court ruled that the suspect will remain in custody for at least fourteen more days. He is charged with five counts of attempted murder or manslaughter with terrorist intent. 

The Amsterdammer reached out to the police for comments, but due to the ongoing investigation led by two public prosecutors, no further details were provided. The suspect remains in solitary confinement, only permitted contact with his lawyer.