Police say one killed in shooting in Dutch city of Utrecht

At least one person has been killed and several wounded in a shooting in the Dutch city of Utrecht, a police spokesperson said.

Police, including heavily armed officers, flooded the area after the shooting happened on Tuesday morning on a tram at a busy traffic intersection in a residential neighbourhood.

A witness told local broadcaster RTV Utrecht that Tuesday’s shooting took place inside the tram at the 24 Oktoberplein in the city’s west.

Another witness told public broadcaster NOS he saw an injured woman running from the tram. She appeared to have been shot in the chest and had blood on her hands and clothes.

“I brought her into my car and helped her. When the police arrived, she was unconscious,” NOS cited the witness as saying.

Police said the suspect fled and a manhunt was underway.

NCTV is monitoring the situation in #Utrecht. In close contact with local authorities. We cannot rule out terrorist motive. Crisis team is activated

— PJ Aalbersberg NCTV (@PJAalbersberg) March 18, 2019

Emergency services, including police and medical helicopters, were at the scene of the shooting.

The area around the shooting site has been cordoned off. Dutch media reporting that police have instructed schools in the area to keep the doors shut.

The National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) has raised threat level to maximum in Utrecht province and said the incident had the “characteristics of a terrorist attack”.

Political parties have announced they are suspending campaigning for the provincial elections that are due to take place on Wednesday.

More to follow