Alphen aan den Rijn shopping mall shooting
Encyclopedia
On 9 April 2011, six people were killed by a gunman who entered the Ridderhof mall in Alphen aan den Rijn
, Netherlands
, a town approximately 33 kilometres (20.5 mi) south-west of Amsterdam
. Using a rifle, 24-year-old Tristan van der Vlis shot several people and then killed himself, reportedly with a different firearm. There were seven deaths, including the killer, and 17 wounded, making it the deadliest incident in the Netherlands since the 2009 attack on the Dutch Royal Family
.
, a pistol
and a revolver
, first got out of his black mercedes-benz
and shot a person outside, then entered the Ridderhof mall and fired more than 100 rounds, killing five people and injuring another 17 before he took a pistol, and took his own life. Many shoppers in the centre panicked before it was evacuated and cordoned off. Later that day one of the injured victims succumbed to injuries, raising the total number of deceased to seven. The gunman had left a note in his car stating that explosives had been left in three malls in the city; these malls were subsequently evacuated. Children were among the victims, but they had suffered only mild injuries. Among the dead are three males aged 80, 49 and 42, and three females aged 91, 68 and 45.
with his parents. He had lived in Alphen since his childhood. According to the police, he had an obsession with guns
since his childhood. He was a member of a shooting association and possessed three firearms. He had a history of psychological and psychiatric problems, including paranoid schizophrenia; in 2006 he spent 10 days in a closed institution after attempting suicide. He tried to commit suicide at least twice in 2008.
, through a brief statement on Twitter, said Queen Beatrix
was "speechless because of the great loss and sadness;" and politicians such as Minister of Security and Justice Ivo Opstelten
expressed feelings of shock and tragedy.
Several thousand people attended a memorial service at the mall on 10 April. Prime minister
Mark Rutte
, Minister Opstelten and acting Mayor of Alphen aan den Rijn Bas Eenhoorn
were also present.
:
After a backlash, the boy deleted the post and claimed it was a joke. Since then, four other people were arrested for making similar threats on Twitter.
Alphen aan den Rijn
Alphen aan den Rijn is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, between Leiden and Utrecht. The town is situated on the banks of the river Oude Rijn , where the river Gouwe branches off. The municipality had a population of 72,674 in 2010, and covers an...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, a town approximately 33 kilometres (20.5 mi) south-west of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. Using a rifle, 24-year-old Tristan van der Vlis shot several people and then killed himself, reportedly with a different firearm. There were seven deaths, including the killer, and 17 wounded, making it the deadliest incident in the Netherlands since the 2009 attack on the Dutch Royal Family
2009 attack on the Dutch royal family
The 2009 attack on the Dutch Royal Family occurred in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, where a man drove his car at high speed into a parade which included Queen Beatrix, Prince Willem-Alexander and other members of the Dutch Royal Family; the attack happened on 30 April, the Dutch national holiday of...
.
Shooting
Van der Vlis, wearing a bulletproof vest and armed with a semi-automatic Smith & Wesson M&P15-22Smith & Wesson M&P15-22
The Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 is a .22 LR variant of the Smith & Wesson M&P15. In contrast to the original AR-15, it is blowback-operated, rather than direct impingement. It is intended for recreational shooting and hunting. It is made with a polymer upper and lower receiver, rather than the...
, a pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
and a revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
, first got out of his black mercedes-benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
and shot a person outside, then entered the Ridderhof mall and fired more than 100 rounds, killing five people and injuring another 17 before he took a pistol, and took his own life. Many shoppers in the centre panicked before it was evacuated and cordoned off. Later that day one of the injured victims succumbed to injuries, raising the total number of deceased to seven. The gunman had left a note in his car stating that explosives had been left in three malls in the city; these malls were subsequently evacuated. Children were among the victims, but they had suffered only mild injuries. Among the dead are three males aged 80, 49 and 42, and three females aged 91, 68 and 45.
Perpetrator
The shooter was 24-year-old Tristan van der Vlis, who lived in an apartment complex in Alphen aan den RijnAlphen aan den Rijn
Alphen aan den Rijn is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, between Leiden and Utrecht. The town is situated on the banks of the river Oude Rijn , where the river Gouwe branches off. The municipality had a population of 72,674 in 2010, and covers an...
with his parents. He had lived in Alphen since his childhood. According to the police, he had an obsession with guns
Güns
Güns or Guens may refer to:* Kőszeg, Hungary * Kőszeg Mountains, Hungary * Akiva Güns , birth name of Akiva Eger, a Hungarian-Polish rabbi- See also :* Guns * Gün, a surname...
since his childhood. He was a member of a shooting association and possessed three firearms. He had a history of psychological and psychiatric problems, including paranoid schizophrenia; in 2006 he spent 10 days in a closed institution after attempting suicide. He tried to commit suicide at least twice in 2008.
Response
The Netherlands Government Information ServiceNetherlands Government Information Service
The Netherlands Government Information Service is a Dutch government agency. The RVD is the official information service of the Dutch government and is the spokesbody for the prime minister, the Council of Ministers and the Dutch Royal House...
, through a brief statement on Twitter, said Queen Beatrix
Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University...
was "speechless because of the great loss and sadness;" and politicians such as Minister of Security and Justice Ivo Opstelten
Ivo Opstelten
Ivo Willem Opstelten is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He is the Minister of Security and Justice in the Cabinet Rutte since October 14, 2010....
expressed feelings of shock and tragedy.
Several thousand people attended a memorial service at the mall on 10 April. Prime minister
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
The Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands. He is the de facto head of government of the Netherlands and coordinates the policy of the government...
Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte
Mark Rutte is a Dutch politician who has been Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 14 October 2010, as well as Minister of General Affairs in the Rutte cabinet...
, Minister Opstelten and acting Mayor of Alphen aan den Rijn Bas Eenhoorn
Bas Eenhoorn
Herman Bastiaan Eenhoorn is a Dutch politician and former civil servant. He is a member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He currently serves as acting mayor of Alphen aan den Rijn...
were also present.
Copycat threats
Shortly after the shooting, police arrested a 17-year-old boy who threatened to carry out another mass shooting. The teenager from Rotterdam allegedly posted on TwitterTwitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
:
After a backlash, the boy deleted the post and claimed it was a joke. Since then, four other people were arrested for making similar threats on Twitter.