Hague stabbing: 'Children among those injured' in knife attack on shopping street with police hunting suspect
Several people have been wounded in a stabbing on a busy shopping street in The Hague, Dutch police say.
Children were among those injured in the incident, according to authorities. The seriousness of their injuries is not yet known, and it is unclear whether they were wounded in the knife attack or in the resulting crowds.
Police are continuing to look for the suspect hours after the incident took place at approximately 7.45pm local time.
Distressing videos show crowds of shoppers fleeing down the street on a busy Black Friday evening in Grote Marktstraat, one of The Hague's most popular shopping areas.
On Friday NOS, the Dutch national broadcaster, said there did not appear to be a terrorist motive behind the knife attack, however a police spokesperson said it remained unclear whether the stabbing was a terrorist incident.
“We are keeping every scenario open,” police spokeswoman Marije Kuiper said.
Police initially said they were looking for a 45-year-old suspect wearing a grey tracksuit, but Ms Kuiper later said this was incorrect.
It comes after two people were killed and more injured in a knife attack in London Bridge, England.
Authorities are asking anyone who saw the incident, or have photos or footage of it, to come forward.
Several people had been wounded in a stabbing, Dutch police say. The incident took place in Grote Marktstraat, which is a busy shopping area in The Hague.
Pictures and videos shared to social media show heavy police and ambulance presence at the scene. One particular video shows shoppers running down the busy street:
The knife attack does not appear to have a terrorist motive, according to Dutch national broadcaster NOS who are citing "varied sources". "At this moment there is no indication of a terrorist motive," NOS said.
Dutch police say they are still looking for a suspect. Police spokeswoman Marije Kuiper said the stabbing happened Friday night when one man attacked several people on the street. She said it remains unclear why the person started stabbing people, and that police are "keeping every scenario open."
In her statement, police spokesperson Marjie Kuiper also said that an earlier description of the suspect as a 45-year-old man in a grey track suit was incorrect.
Dutch police have asked members of the public to contact them if they saw the attack, and for anyone with pictures or video of the incident to send it to police.
The stabbing happened at approximately 7.45 pm local time, with the current time being just after 11pm there. Authorities have not yet offered a motive for the attack, and have say they are "keeping every scenario open". The incident happened on a busy shopping street full of luxury shops, with people out looking for deals on Black Friday.
Children were among the three people injured in the incident, according to acting mayor of The Hague. Boudewijn Revis said he was horrified by the stabbing Friday night. Police say they still are looking for a suspect.
The victims were all minors, the Associated Press is now reporting, however police have said it is not clear whether they were wounded in the knife attack, or injured because of panicked crowds.
