OVERASSELT — Dutch police arrested 34 suspects following a fatal shooting in Overasselt that killed a security guard and wounded two officers. The incident occurred at approximately 4:00 AM on Tuesday in the village located southeast of Amsterdam and near the German border.

A 51-year-old security guard was killed in the shooting, and two police officers were wounded. The injuries sustained by the two police officers were not life-threatening.

Approximately 30 masked men carrying weapons approached a house before shots were fired. Jolanda Aalbers, Regional Police Chief, stated, "When the first police unit arrived at the scene, shots were fired immediately." She added, "That was an incredibly traumatic incident. They had to rescue their colleagues and get them to safety. I have tremendous respect for what they did." Aalbers stated that a large group of masked men opened fire when police arrived at a house in Overasselt to investigate reports of suspicious activity.

Police seized several weapons, data storage devices, and vehicles at the scene. Authorities urged local residents to stay indoors with doors and windows shut during the investigation. National police chief Janny Knol described the violence as "unprecedented" and stated on X that officers from across the country were investigating. Knol stated that officers had already detained a large number of suspects following the shooting in Overasselt.

The 34 detained suspects include nationals from the Netherlands, France, Belgium, and Algeria. Deputy Chief Prosecutor Monique Vinkesteijn stated, "We know that the group currently in custody is international in nature." She added, "It includes French and Belgian nationals, people from Algeria, and also individuals from the Netherlands." Vinkesteijn stated that suspects face charges ranging from murder to manslaughter and preparing a kidnapping. Prosecutors indicated that further arrests may follow.

Authorities are investigating indications that the shooting is connected to a long-running conflict. Local media linked the incident to the criminal underworld of Dutch drug lord Jos Leijdekkers, also known as 'Bolle Jos'. Jos Leijdekkers is one of the Netherlands’ most wanted criminals and was previously convicted for his role in international cocaine trafficking. Het Parool newspaper reported that the gunfight resulted from a conflict over several hundred kilos of cocaine thought to have been trafficked by Leijdekkers’ gang.

Timeline

On September 1, 2025, the same house where the shooting occurred was shot at a dozen times in an incident last year. Two people were convicted in relation to the shooting incident at the same house last year. On September 1, 2026, a fatal shooting occurred in Overasselt, a village in the east of the Netherlands, at 4am on September 1, 2026, when a large group of masked men opened fire at a house where police arrived to investigate reports of suspicious activity. Police arrested 34 suspects following a fatal shooting in Overasselt.

Mayor Joerie Minses said that Overasselt “was shaken last night by a form of extreme violence that is completely unacceptable.” Minister of Justice and Security David van Weel stated on X that 34 arrests had been made and the investigation is ongoing. Mayor Joerie Minses stated, “What happened in Overasselt crosses all boundaries. This is un-Dutch … Overasselt has been shocked by a form of extreme violence that is totally unacceptable.” Monique Vinkesteijn stated, “It includes French and Belgian nationals, people from Algeria, and also individuals from the Netherlands.”

What's New

Regional prosecutors and the police are investigating the shooting in Overasselt, with the police stating that the investigation is still ongoing. The police are conducting investigations in and around Overasselt, with a large number of suspects arrested, and the investigation is still ongoing.

Why It Matters

The arrest of 34 suspects shows the scale of the police response to a shooting that killed a civilian and injured officers. The involvement of nationals from multiple countries, including France, Belgium, Algeria, and the Netherlands, reflects the international nature of the suspect group. The connection to Jos Leijdekkers, a high-profile fugitive wanted for drug trafficking and violent crimes, places the incident within the context of organized criminal conflicts in the region.

The recurrence of violence at the same location, which was targeted in a similar incident in 2025, indicates an ongoing dispute. The conviction of two individuals in relation to the previous shooting suggests a pattern of retaliatory or targeted violence at this specific address. The ongoing investigation and potential for further arrests signal that authorities view this as part of a broader criminal network rather than an isolated event.