Ukrainian Migrant Identified As Amsterdam Mass Stabbing Suspect

Authorities in Amsterdam revealed on Saturday that the man arrested for a mass stabbing near the city’s iconic Dam Square is a 30-year-old migrant from Ukraine’s conflict-ridden Donetsk area.

The attack occurred on Thursday afternoon, injuring five individuals — two American tourists aged 67 and 69, a 73-year-old Belgian woman, a 26-year-old Polish man and a 19-year-old Dutch woman from Amsterdam. Police described the attack as seemingly random.

Initially, identifying the suspect proved difficult for law enforcement, as he possessed several false IDs and refused to share accurate information about his background. However, investigators eventually determined his identity as Roman D. from the Donetsk region, much of which is now controlled by Russian forces.

Police have not yet provided a clear motive for the assault, saying investigations are ongoing. Authorities noted Roman D. had checked into an Amsterdam hotel one day before carrying out the attack.

The suspect was apprehended swiftly due to the intervention of a British tourist, who heroically chased and pinned him down until police arrived. Amsterdam’s Mayor Femke Halsema praised the tourist’s courage and awarded him a medal in a ceremony.

Roman D. was injured during the scuffle and has since been hospitalized in Scheveningen, under police supervision. A detention hearing has been set for Monday, April 1, where a judge will decide on his further custody.

The revelation that the attacker was a Ukrainian migrant prompted sharp criticism from Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who responded publicly by declaring: “And we keep paying.”