Gunman 'in combat clothing' arrested with Rotterdam police confirming deaths

Police investigating after a gunman in combat clothing shot and killed several people, in two incidents in Rotterdam, Netherlands, have made an arrest.

People were reportedly injured after a pair of incidents at two separate locations in the port town, as police launched a manhunt for the perpetrator. One incident happened at a house in the west of the city, while the other took place in a classroom of the Erasmus Medical Center, in the city centre.

People have been killed in two shootings, police said, but they did not immediately announce the number of victims.

Rotterdam police said on X, formerly Twitter, that they were informing next of kin before releasing any more details.

Dutch media initially reported a person died at the house in the city, while two other people were also injured. The man is said to have fled the scene in combat clothing with some reporting he escaped on a motorcycle.

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Rotterdam Police have confirmed a suspect, a 32-year-old male, has been arrested in connection with the shocking scenes. His motive is unclear. Officers said he used a handgun for the attacks. They described him as being in his mid-20s, tall, with black hair, and wearing a backpack with headphones. Locals have been urged to call police as a matter of urgency if they see him.

Local media also reported a fire broke out at another building, where several loud bangs were heard. The cause of the fire is currently unknown and it's unclear whether anyone was trapped inside. Dutch security services and a large emergency response, including armed officers and an air ambulance, are at the site of the fire, which continues to spread, it has been reported.

De Stentor reported students at Erasmus MC were seen rushing out of the campus with their hands up, without shoes, and many of them were crying. There are unconfirmed reports that one of the victims was a teacher, and the perpetrator was her husband.

One student told the Dutch daily: "We just had to run away from the arrest team to behind the school. Something is not right.”

There is a similarly large police presence in relation to the shootings, with armed officers seen on the roof of the Erasmus Center - which is the home of Rotterdam's Erasmus University's faculty of medicine. Some students are still inside and said to be barricading themselves in.