Queensday Tragedy in Apeldoorn: Car Rams Crowd

[Andre]

So it's not only Evo's birthday, it's also the late queens Juliana's birthday, a national holiday, maintained by the currently reigning queen of the Netherlands, Beatrix.

One of the festivities is a big tour of the Royal Family, mingling with the minions, in Apeldoorn this year. The Palace Het Loo was centerpoint (a golden fountain of which has been in the landmark game).

This year however, things went wrong. A lunatic drove a car into the cheering crowd obviously attemting to bash into the Royal Bus with queen and family inside. That didn't work but there are several casualties, which ended the festivities abruptly.

http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1191100.ece/Drama_tijdens_optocht_Beatrix [Broken] See the Youtube clip.

 

[CompuChip]

Yeah, two dead already and 12 injured, a few of which severely.
I sincerely hope that it didn't happen on purpose. If it really was an attack it was very badly done (if you want to hit someone, you use an armoured car with explosives instead of an old Suzuki, driving straight into a monument afterwards) but as far as I understand there are some indications (for example, the car following the route of the royal family exactly).

Anyway, I planned on going into town later today but I don't really feel like that anymore. I am sorry for the families of the victims and all the bystanders who witnessed it, and I hope the 15:45 press conference will make it more clear what happened.

 

[Monique]

This is really sad, I feel for the family and friends of the victims who had to witness this tragedy. I hope the injured will make a full recovery. What was the guy thinking?

 

[hypatia]

Thats such a sad thing to happen at such a event. I'm very sorry for all who are effected by it.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

That is really sad.

 

[CompuChip]

I knew that it was bad, but I hadn't seen the footage yet...

YouTube link (WARNING: not suitable for the faint of heart)

Can you imagine what this caused when this happened with thousands of people there AND it was broadcast live on national television?

Normally I'm not really affected by such events, but somehow I keep thinking about it... really makes me a bit sad.

 

[Astronuc]

It's very sad that one individual would act in such a way.

I read that there were 4 fatalities.

 

[turbo]

Just read an update pushing the fatalities to 5, with a dozen or more injured. Apparently the driver recently lost his job and was about to be evicted, but that hardly seems sufficient motive for murder. What a sad day.

 

[Monique]

I read that there were 4 fatalities.

Make that 5, and several still in critical condition. One of the fatalities was a pregnant woman who died on the street, really sad. Such a senseless act of violence. The fact that it was broadcasted live on national television brought it into the living room of many people.

 

[Evo]

Absolutely terrible.

 

[LowlyPion]

A more complete account on the day's sadly tragic events in The Nederlands.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6201863.ece

So pointless.

 

[lisab]

The video is really disturbing. So many people enjoying the day, the parade, the nice weather...and then this guy comes out of nowhere...ugh, really horrible.

 

[Andre]

The offender died this morning from his injuries. So the exact reasons why, will never be answered.

 

[LowlyPion]

The follow-up:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6206084.ece

Apparently he acted alone.