Three Dutch soldiers belonged to the elite commando corps. special operating unit of Royal Netherlands Army and traveled to the United States for camp training in southern Indiana. They were in Indianapolis when off duty and were shot in front of their hotel is in the city center at about 3:30 am on a saturday.
“We do a lot of training of our servicemen in United States, and we really don’t expect that to happen,” Ollongren said.
The Dutch reaction highlighted the gulf between realities of gun violence in United States and in Netherlands, two developed countries and NATO allies who cooperate on military matters, but has completely different levels of gun lethal outcomes. In the Netherlands this street shooting would be an anomaly. In the United States, this is another weekend night.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett (D) told reporters Monday morning that the commandos could have been shot. in a drive- shooting after an argument in a bar, according to the Indianapolis Star.
“I don’t know details of how happened and what caused it has to happen,” said Hogsett. “The tragedy is that it happened. Tragedy people got into a dispute and they eventually resolved that dispute by pulling out a gun and shooting.”
One of in soldiers identified by the Marion County Coroner’s Office as 26-year-Old Simmy Poetsema died two nights later from his injuries, the Dutch Defense Ministry said. in a news release on Monday.
The other two commandos have wounds that “currently considered safe to live in,” the Indianapolis Police Department said. in announcement on Monday. Dutch authorities said the commandos were “conscious and able to speak”.
Police have not identified the suspect or provided any details. of public investigation. “Release of certain investigative information may negatively affect ability To obtain justice in this case,” the ministry said in a statement.
poetema family flew to Indiana when they found out of shooting and were at the soldier’s bed in Indianapolis hospital when he died.
Shooting and Poezema death sent shock waves through the Dutch military, according to Major Mark van de Beek, spokesman for Royal Netherlands Army. Dutch troops training in United States because of the wider range of facilities, he told The Washington Post. Education on pause for now, he said.
Dutch soldiers trained at the Muscatataq City Training Center, a “leading training facility” about 80 miles southeast of of Indianapolis Staff Sergeant Jeff Lowery Press Secretary for Indiana National Guard, writes in email.
This was stated by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. with his dutch counterpart on On Monday, to express my “deepest condolences.”
“My thoughts with their families and teammates,” he said. wrote on Twitter after call.
Gun violence in The United States has grown in last years. Purchases of firearms hit record levels in 2020 and 2021, with more More than 43 million weapons were purchased during this period, according to the Post’s analysis. Over 45,000 gun deaths were recorded during each of in past two years and rate of gun deaths hit in highest level since 1995.
“Intentional homicide” in the US rate there were seven times what of Netherlands in 2020 last year for that the UN has statistics on both countries. death rate from gun violence was almost 18 times higher in USA than in Netherlands in 2019, according to the university of Washington School of medical institute for Health indicators and assessment.
In July, Republican-controlled Indiana government removed the requirement that people be authorized to legally carry, conceal, or transport a handgun within the state. Hoggett, Democratic Mayor of Indianapolis, said he was working on reduce gun violence in in the city who saw record-setting violence in 2021. How of August 22, city was recorded 133 criminal homicides so far this year, according to the Indianapolis Star tracker.
The numbers stand for 17 percent short for last yearHogsett pointed out. out Monday. “We do progress”, he said, according to the Indianapolis Star.
For comparison, 121 victims are registered in the Netherlands. of murder or manslaughter in whole country in 2020 latest year for which government statistics bureau issued numbers.
Dutch gun laws are much stricter than those in United States. illegal to own or use firearms and other weapons in Netherlands without special weapons permit. Only people who was granted an exemption from the ban – for sport, hunting or participation in historical reconstructions, for example – can acquire firearms legal after passing psychological testing and background checks.
Dutch government warns that traveling to the United States may present certain risks. “A lot of people own firearms” government website is reading. “It is legal in most states have gun in public. Gun violence is widespread throughout the country.”
