The medical student is suspected of having shot dead his neighbor, her 14-year-old daughter and a hospital professor. But according to local media, the “psychotic behavior” of the man suspected of this double shooting in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, was known. The public prosecutor’s office wrote to the Erasmus University Hospital this year about this medical student.
The man, called Fouad L., had “disturbing” and “psychotic” behavior, the public prosecutor wrote to the university in an e-mail whose authenticity was confirmed by the public channel NOS. The prosecution had notably reported an episode during which this man lay half-naked on a pile of leaves in his garden with maniacal laughter.
Questioning his ability to be a doctor
Authorities also examined the contents of the 32-year-old man’s cell phone, in which they found photos of people being stabbed, as well as far-right propaganda, according to the same source. “It is assumed that this will influence your decision on whether he is eligible for the medical degree,” the prosecution wrote in its email.
Hospital director Stefan Sleijfer told NOS that the suspect had passed all his exams to become a doctor but the facility had ordered a psychiatric examination after receiving the email. “We received warnings from the prosecutor’s office, who had doubts that this person could become a doctor,” he admitted, adding: “We took this seriously.” As the process of setting up a psychological evaluation was underway, the student had not yet received the medical diploma allowing him to practice.
The suspect’s motivations still unclear
The suspect, who is now in custody, first opened fire on Thursday at a house in the southwestern Dutch port city of Rotterdam, killing a 39-year-old woman and seriously injuring her daughter 14-year-old – died shortly after -, according to police chief Fred Westerbeke. Each time the shooter also started fires, which were quickly extinguished but which caused panic as medical staff tried to evacuate patients, some in wheelchairs and others on stretchers.
The suspect had previously been convicted of animal cruelty after mistreating his pet rabbit, acts filmed by a neighbor according to the prosecution. It is not immediately known whether this neighbor was among those killed and whether the shooter had harbored resentment towards the hospital, as well as whether the establishment had followed up on the prosecutor’s warning concerning him. “We cannot yet say anything about the motives for these terrible acts. The investigation continues,” Attorney General Hugo Hillenaar told reporters, stressing that the suspect was cooperating with the police.