2 Americans Among 5 People Injured in 'Serious' Amsterdam Stabbing Attack: Police

Two Americans are among the at least five people injured in a stabbing attack in the Netherlands.

On Thursday, March 27, police received “several reports of a stabbing incident” just before 3:30 p.m. local time near the Sint Nicolaasstraat in the city center of Amsterdam, according to a police news release.

Five people were found injured following a “serious” attack in and around the area, with “large parts” of Dam Square having to be cordoned off amid the police’s investigation.

“Among the victims are a 67-year-old woman and a 69-year-old man, both American nationals; a 26-year-old man from Poland; a 73-year-old woman from Belgium; and a 19-year-old woman from Amsterdam,” per the release.

The attack continued for several minutes before the suspect was stopped by a passerby, according to the Associated Press.

The assailant was overpowered by bystanders before the police arrived, ABC News and BBC reported. He was then taken to hospital with a leg injury.

While the suspect has since been taken into custody, the motive behind the stabbing is under investigation, with police saying it might have been a random attack.

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“Police are considering the possibility that the suspect may have randomly targeted victims, but the exact motive remains unknown,” according to the police news release.

“The first priority of the investigation is to establish the identity of the arrested suspect,” per the news release. “A possible identity is known, but due to a variety of documents, this needs to be investigated further. It is known that he registered at an Amsterdam hotel on March 26.”

Witnesses alleged to the local newspaper De Telegraaf that the suspect seemed to be stabbing people randomly while running.

“The police investigation is in full swing and is currently the highest priority,” Mayor Halsema said in the police news release. “We hope to gain clarity soon about the background of this horrific stabbing incident. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and loved ones.”