neighbor

ANP People lay flowers at the building on Heiman Dullaertplein where a woman and her daughter were shot dead yesterday.

NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 19:23

Rotterdam mayor Aboutaleb speaks of “lots of tears” after a meeting at Heiman Dullaertplein, where a woman and her daughter were shot dead yesterday. He spoke with local residents and other acquaintances of the victims.

Aboutaleb says he mainly listened to “all those sad stories from people who knew the victims”. Those present still have many questions, he says. “Questions I can’t answer right now.”

32-year-old Fouad L. is suspected of shooting dead his neighbor Marlous and her daughter Romy in their house on Heiman Dullaertplein. The 39-year-old mother died on the spot, her 14-year-old daughter later succumbed to her injuries in hospital.

L. is also suspected of shooting dead 43-year-old Jurgen Damen, a general practitioner in Katendrecht and a teacher at Erasmus MC. The police assume a targeted action against the victims, but keep all scenarios open.

Aboutaleb spoke with Romy’s classmates and with a friend of the teenager who was present in the house when the tragedy unfolded. “They can hardly get their words out.”

The mayor has tried to encourage them. “There were children in my own daughter’s age. I feel free to give someone like that a big hug. As a citizen, I think you should do that.”

NOS

The 39-year-old victim Marlous.

NOS

The 14-year-old victim, Romy

Ladan Motaref from a hair salon on Heiman Dullaertplein says she is in shock. “I think that will take a few days.” The police closed the street yesterday and people had to stay indoors. There was a fear that suspect Fouad L. would return home. Motaref’s hair salon filled up with local residents. “We weren’t allowed to go outside until late at night.”

Motaref says he does not know the family personally, but he often saw the mother and her children walking by and waving. “Looks like they were quiet people.”

Since this morning there has been a coming and going of people leaving flowers. The police have closed off the block of houses on Heiman Dullaertplein with a fence, and local residents have hung photos of the victims on it.

According to the local news station Rijnmond Romy, who was shot, had a twin sister, an older sister and a younger brother. Rijnmond writes that mother Marlous herself opened the door for her neighbor. She was shot immediately.

‘Happy, sweet girls’

Local resident Francesca Alves Lopez tells the NOS that her grandchildren used to play with Marlous’ twins at the playground in the street. “They were very cheerful, sweet girls. I can’t believe it. Their mother was a pleasant woman.”

Erasmus MCThe 43-year-old victim Jurgen Damen

Later in the afternoon, Mayor Aboutaleb visited a memorial at the health center in South Rotterdam where the third victim, 43-year-old Jurgen Damen, worked as a general practitioner. Outgoing Minister of the Interior Hugo de Jonge was also present there. The victim was his doctor.

“He was a great doctor,” says De Jonge, who adds that throughout the city you notice that the sense of safety of Rotterdam residents has been shaken. “You all know someone who works in the hospital, or who had a class there, or someone in Delfshaven who saw it.”

A colleague of Damen, René Baljon, says that anger, disbelief and sadness dominate in his team. “Jurgen was a warm, committed GP.”

Mayor Aboutaleb then addresses those present: “I hear fascinating stories about Jurgen about a committed healthcare teacher and a committed scientist. What inspires someone to pick Jurgen from our midst?” the mayor wonders, after which his voice breaks. Emotionally, he repeats his question: “What drives such a person?”

Finally, Aboutaleb expressed his appreciation to emergency workers, after which those present held a minute’s silence.

2023-09-29 17:23:46


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