Three people dead in Utrecht shooting as the suspect is identified as 37-year-old Turkish man

The mayor of Utrecht has confirmed that three people have been killed in the shooting. Dutch police have identified a 37-year-old Turkish man as the suspect, who is still on the run, appealing to citizens to look out for him.

Turkish-born Gökmen Tanis is now wanted in the Netherlands, according to national police that released the photo of the suspect on Twitter. Local residents have been advised not to approach the man but immediately call a police hotline.

The photo appears to be a CCTV image made inside the tram. It comes hours after authorities acknowledged that the suspect was still on the run and the manhunt for him was underway.

The mayor of Utrecht has confirmed that the death toll in the shooting has now risen to three.

Massive police presence was reported in the city, with additional patrols and heavily armed officers securing the streets. According to media reports, police were told to look out for a red Renault sedan which was later found abandoned in Utrecht.

Earlier in the day, security officials said that the shooting, which occurred in the afternoon at a tram stop on 24 Oktoberplein junction in Utrecht, appeared to be a terrorist attack. Consequently, national anti-terror coordinator Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg raised the alert level to its maximum in the Utrecht province.

Amid the manhunt, police forces were placed on high alert in the Netherlands and beyond. Military police have been sent to national airports, railway stations and major roads, and citizens were advised to stay inside until the suspect is caught.

Source: RT