Young people with guns growing problem: “I turned out to be stabbed in the head”

The stabbing incident that Klaas fell victim to happened in September 2021. The then 15-year-old boy was on his way home after an evening at the fair in Hoogkarspel. “It was not fun at the fair that year,” says Klaas. “There were all kinds of groups walking around looking for a fight.” While cycling he hears that he is being yelled at. The teen stops, but then things go wrong.

Knife sting not felt

“I was immediately pulled off my bike and knocked to the ground.” He did not defend himself. “I was scared and it happened so fast.” The two assailants then ran off. He did not know that he had also been stabbed in the head with a knife. “I felt dizzy, but because of the adrenaline I wasn’t in pain.”

He is helped on the spot by a girl next door, but also another boy. “That later turned out to be the brother of one of the perpetrators,” says Klaas’s father. “He said he shouldn’t report it. He tried to appease it, said there was nothing wrong.”

‘Was lucky’

When the boy is also gone, Klaas rings the doorbell of a local resident. “He had put some bandages on my head.” He then walks himself to the nearby ambulance station. Before I knew I was in the ambulance and had to go to the hospital.

It was only in the hospital that Klaas realized what had happened to him. “Of course I was lucky, although I didn’t have that feeling at the time.”

Father victim searches and finds the perpetrators

His parents have now been informed. “We were already in bed and immediately ran to the ambulance station. Fortunately, I saw that he was approachable,” says Klaas’s father. While the mother goes with the ambulance, the father has very different plans.

“I only wanted one thing: to catch the perpetrators. Within fifteen minutes I had the names.” With others he goes to the house where they need to be. “I was very angry. But when we found them, the police were already there. In retrospect, I sometimes regret that the police were there earlier. But of course it was better that it went that way in the end.”

Miraculously, Klaas gets off well. “I had to stay in the hospital for two nights and then I was allowed to go home.” Still, it made an impression. “In the beginning I found it difficult to go outside, then I also had to cry. I also spoke to a psychologist once and also talked about it with friends.”

What also helped is that the two perpetrators were arrested. An 18-year-old from Venhuizen who had hit first and a 17-year-old from Alkmaar who eventually stabbed Klaas with the knife. “I felt safer when they were caught.”

Perpetrators mistake Klaas for someone else

Once in court, he also sees the perpetrators. And he especially wants to know why they attacked him. “I didn’t know why they had to have me.” It turns out to be a mistake. Klaas looked like a boy who would have beaten the brother of the 18-year-old Venhuizer.

“That’s em”, was enough to run towards Klaas and attack him. “I didn’t care about that lawsuit. It was done for me, although I wanted them to be punished.” Yet one thing does not sit well with him and his father. “Some things were twisted,” explains Klaas.

His father adds: “The one who stabbed has known and honestly told his story. But the other one, I feel, has made up a bullshit story with his lawyer to get off better. I still don’t have peace with that Then be a man and tell me how it is.”

Ultimately, the Alkmaarder who stabbed sentenced to 14 months juvenile detention, of which just over half are conditional. His co-defendant from Venhuizen receives 70 days of juvenile detention, 27 of which are conditional.

Explosive increase arrested young people with weapons

The whole event does not stand alone. In October last year, for example, 14-year-old Dani from Westwoud was asked for his school stabbed to death in Hoorn. The suspect is a 16 year old boy. “If you hear that, you will be shocked,” says Klaas. “Then you think: I couldn’t have survived it either.”

The police are also warning for the huge increase in the number of minors arrested with a weapon. In 2019 there were 315, in 2022 the counter stopped at 1,268. These figures also include the possession of prohibited fireworks, but it is knives and firearms that are experiencing the greatest growth.

Police chief Martin Sitalsing (portfolio holder Care and Security) calls the figures ‘worrying’ and believes that carrying weapons should never be considered normal. “Unfortunately, the numbers are not surprising. If you have a weapon in your pocket, you are more likely to actually use it. With all the risks of serious injury or even death.”

“Don’t understand that you go out with a knife”

The misunderstanding at Klaas is logically great. “I don’t understand you going out with a knife. I think it’s weak and pointless. As far as I know it doesn’t happen here in the village.” His father continues: “It also depends on which group you are in. Of course you also have wheel turners here in Hoogkarspel, but I have no idea whether they also have knives.”

The family now knows from their own experience that things can go wrong just like that. “It’s like Russian roulette. If you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, then yes…”