Utrecht shooting: Gunman CORNERED by special forces as TERROR threat critical – VIDEO

A major terror alert has been issued in Utrecht after a gunman killed at least one person and injured a number of others in what security bosses have said appeared to be a terror attack. The suspected tram gunman is still at large after he fled the scene and a manhunt is underway. Shocking video footage shows the Dutch counter-terrorism unit corner what appears to be an apartment building close to the shooting as the hunt continues. At around 10.45am local time (9.45am GMT) the gunman fired into a tram at a busy tram stop in the city’s central 24 Oktoberplein junction. 

Counter-terrorism teams and Dutch national security co-ordinators have launched investigations into the shooting.

The terror threat in the city has been raised to a level five – the highest ever issued in the Netherlands.

National Security Expert Renske Van Der Veer said the Netherlands has highly evolved counter-terrorism teams, adding: “The main point that everybody is worried about now is that the police and also the public prosecutors don’t actually know the terrorist motive.

“We are not quite sure if the attacker in this case, whether they were ideologically motived or not but the police are not excluding a terrorist motive and it is worrying for quite a few professionals in the Netherlands.

“What we are also seeing now is the Dutch coordinator for security and counter-terrorism has indeed raised the threat level to level 5, which is unheard of in the Netherlands and has not happened before.

“It means as much as that there really is a current and actual threat at this point in the Netherlands.”

The gunman opened fire at around 10.45am local time. A woman who was sitting in a tram told local broadcaster NRC a man got put of his seat and started shooting at other passengers.

She said: “I was in the back of the tram. He shot around, but seemed to be aiming at people sitting on the benches – everyone ducked.

“The conductor did not open the doors immediately.

“Two boys next to me kicked in a window, so I fled outside. Several people did the same.”

source: express.co.uk