3 dead after 'terrorist-motivated' attack in the Netherlands; suspect still at large

Three people are dead and five injured after a "terrorist-motivated" attack in the Dutch city of Utrecht, where authorities have released the name of one suspect who is still at large.

What are the details?

Police are searching for a 37-year-old Turkish-born man in connection with the murders, but authorities are unsure whether more than one suspect was involved in the shooting, which occurred at a train station, according to the Daily Mail.

One witness told the Netherlands newspaper NRC that a man climbed up on a train and started firing at bystanders with a "big pistol." The anonymous observer said, "He shot around him, but seemed to be aiming at people sitting on the benches. Everybody ducked away. The conductor did not open the doors immediately. Two boys next to me kicked in a window, so I jumped outside. Several people did that."

Utrecht Mayor Jan van Zanen said, "We cannot exclude, even stronger, we assume a terror motive. Likely there is one attacker, but there could be more," The Associated Press reported.

The Washington Post reported that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told the media, "Our country has been hit by an attack in Utrecht. An act of terror is an attack on our civilization, on our tolerant and open society. If this indeed turns out to be a terrorist act, then only one answer is appropriate, and that answer is that our rule of law, our democracy, is stronger than terrorism and violence."

The Dutch government has raised the terrorism threat level to its highest possible for the entire province of Utrecht, and schools are on lockdown as law enforcement has surrounded a building where they believe the suspect is hiding.

Anything else?

The Netherlands train attack comes just three days after a mass murder in New Zealand, where a gunman killed 50 worshippers and injured others in attacks on two Christchurch mosques.

Dutch authorities have increased security at mosques and train stations in the country while the search continues for those responsible and their motive. All mosques in the city of Utrecht were closed following the incident, and an area of the city has been roped off according to local reports.