Due to a stabbing in asylum seekers’ center Hardenberg in Heemserveen, just across the Drents-Overijssel border, someone died around 11:30 p.m. last night. It concerns a 24-year-old man who stayed at the azc.
After the incident, a 23-year-old suspect, who was also staying there, was arrested, the police said. He is suspected of murder or manslaughter, the police said. It is not yet known what led to the stabbing.
Residents and employees of the azc are “very shocked”, says a spokesperson for the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA). “In the coming days we will mainly focus on aftercare, help and support for the residents. Victim support is also available.”
Today it is quiet again at the azc, but the COA will keep a close eye on the security situation in the coming days, according to the spokesperson. The azc in Heemserveen was opened in 2016 and can accommodate 750 asylum seekers.