Driver in Queen's Day attack dies

Expatica ^ | April 30 2009 | Radio Netherlands / AFP / Expatica

[knighthawk]

The 38-year-old unemployed security guard who drove his car at high speed into a crowd watching the Queen’s Day royal procession has died.

THE QUEEN – The 38-year-old Dutchman who killed five people and injured 12 during Queen's Day celebrations in Apeldoorn has died.

The unemployed security guard drove his car at high speed into a crowd who had gathered for the annual Queen's Day royal procession in the central city of Apeldoorn around noon (1000 GMT).

The car missed the royal coach by 15 metres and came to a standstill when it crashed into a well-known monument.

Two men and two women died shortly after impact, while one of the 13 injured died later in hospital.

"At the moment of first contact with police on the ground, the man indicated that his action was aimed against the royal family," justice official Ludo Goossens told journalists in Apeldoorn.

"There are no indications of terrorist links," Goossens said, nor are there signs of explosives or of a broader conspiracy.

Investigators searched the man's house to try and establish a motive. He had no record of mental illness or previous crimes.

Apeldoorn mayor Fred de Graaf said 13 people were injured – five of them seriously, and one of whom has since died. Three among the injured were children aged nine, 15 and 16.

"The injured were taken to six hospitals in the region, where they are being treated," the mayor said.

They include two members of the police.

Some suffered head trauma, but most had bruises and broken bones.

Television footage showed members of the royal family, in an open top bus, clutch their hands to their mouths in shock as the car sped through barricades right before their eyes and rammed into the monument, leaving injured people and battered bicycles in its wake.

Beatrix, Crown Prince Willem Alexander and his wife Maxima were among the royals taking part in the procession.

The car appeared on television footage to have already been heavily damaged before slamming into the monument.

Paramedics were seen rushing to assist people lying injured on the ground among pools of blood and scattered shoes, as anguished cries filled the air and bystanders started running around in obvious shock.

A policeman on a bicycle managed to get out of the way of the car, identified as a small Suzuki Swift, just seconds before it hit the pillar.

"Many people narrowly escaped death," one witness told broadcaster NOS. "I was standing near the monument and the car was coming straight at me. My legs are still shaking."

Hundreds of thousands of Dutch took to the streets in several cities Thursday morning in orange wigs and bizarre hats to celebrate Queen's Day, a national holiday and annual festival to mark the birthday of Beatrix's mother Juliana, who would have been 100 this year.

But the festivities soon turned to mourning with official celebrations cancelled in many areas as the national flag was flown at half mast at the royal palace at Apeldoorn and government buildings.

The streets of Apeldoorn, where crowds thronged earlier, had all but emptied a few hours after the incident and the festive decorations were taken down.

Beatrix expressed shock at the events, telling the nation in a televised address she was "speechless that something so terrible could have happened".

Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende also expressed "deep shock" and described it as "a sad day".

European Commission President Jose Barroso sent a message of condolences, saying he was "deeply shocked at the terrible news of the casualties at the Queen's Day festivities in the Netherlands".

A total of 250 investigators were put on the case.

Radio Netherlands / AFP / Expatica

[knighthawk]

Ping

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

Cars don’t kill people, people kill people...

[P-Marlowe]

Why won’t they mention his name?

[Cindy]

Additional background link:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2241477/posts

[bruinbirdman]

What did the driver die of?

yitbos

[Nextrush]

This should be at least Front Page News if not Breaking News.

Only video I’ve seen from Dutch TV is of the car after it hit the monument.

[P-Marlowe]

complications

[Nailbiter]

Sky news id as Karst Tates

[Nextrush]

Heck, this happened Thursday not today.

I work too much, sleep a little and don’t know what’s going on.

First Pim Fortuyn, then Theo Van Gough and now this deal.

Something is going on in the Netherlands.

The Left there will blame Geert Wilders.

[chuckles]

...."He had no record of mental illness"....

Islam is mental illness, so he must be Amish?

[bruinbirdman]

Translated from Trouw News, Netherlands:

Apeldoorn attack offender deceased

"The 38-year-old man from Huissen, suspected of an attack on the royal family, the night of Thursday to Friday at 02.58 am in the hospital deceased to his injuries. That the National Wood reported Friday.

The death of the suspect, the end of the criminal investigation against him.

The National Research to investigate the event and the circumstances. It also examined whether any others involved in the attack. Currently there are no indications.

The municipality of Apeldoorn in hopes the course of this morning to give more information about the condition of the victims. Overall, T. with his black Suzuki Swift seventeen victims. Besides the four deaths and eight serious injuries lighter injuries.

The College of B & W of Apeldoorn is Friday morning at eleven o'clock meeting to discuss the situation. It is not yet known whether there is a Friday press conference will be held."

[JLS]

Yep that is the queston, what is the name. And by not mentioning the name they make people who are paying attention suspicious.

[Mila]

“The suspect, a 38-year-old man identified by Dutch media as Karst Tates, had been in critical condition since the attack during the Netherlands Queen’s Day holiday on Thursday.Prosecuters confirmed his death Friday morning.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30495873/

[Joann37]

Was it suicide, natural causes, or did he die as a result of injuries suffered in the crash? The article doesn’t say.

[milford421]

“A total of 250 investigators were put on the case.”

For one man in a car. Investigators think there’s more to this.

[arthurus]

The person in this instance doesn’t have a name. And it was announced that it was definitely not terrorism so I suspect the perp was Moslem. Or am I just reading American PC obsession into a Hollandse situation?

[visualops]

Several dead, royal family etc etc, sounds like they put a department or two on it and somebody just totaled up personnel to get the 250 number.
The guy said he targeted the royals, did he give a reason?

[RegulatorCountry]

I saw a video of this crash, the roof was crushed from impact with pedestrians before he hit a cast iron paling fence and then a stone monument at at least 40 mph, I’d guess, collapsing the front end. Probably head and chest injuries. That model of car was known as a Geo Metro here in the states, tiny, flimsy car.

[Appleby]

38 years old, so a member of the generation that blames other people when their lives go wrong — and wants to be Famous and Make Statements.

He had lost his job and his home, and likely his wife was leaving him too, and he just wanted to go out in a giant burst of Fame and Flame. Ignoring him is probably the best tactic.

[BallyBill]

I'm sure he wasn't tortured and was allowed to die peacefully with his secrets.

[fortheDeclaration]

Quick-ban cars!

[milford421]

It’s not adding up. News reports say the driver was unconscious and later was declared brain dead. Picture I saw of him showed him unconscious in the car.

How then, did he make the statements he made? Telepathy?

250 investigators does not sound like SOP. The photographer on scene originally stated that he appeared to deliberately drive into the crowd and then todays report had photographer stated he deliberately drove at the royals.

When I see contradictions, I like to wait and see more info.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Why won’t they mention his name?"

My guess is that the typesetters ran out of hyphens, "q"s and "z"s.

[Stolly]

He was a white male on the pictures i have seen, possibly to the dismay of some FR posters. Almost certainly not a Moslem.

[Stolly]

He had to drive through the crowd to get at the bus, in the video i have seen. What is contradictory about that ?

[Stolly]

Sorry Mod, i guess the picture was a bit graphic with the blood on his face and all.

I posted a picture of the driver, that clearly shows him to be white, and therefore probably not Moslem.

[milford421]

READ MY POST AGAIN.