A 60-year-old woman has been shot dead in the west of Amsterdam, police confirmed on Thursday morning.

The woman is ‘not known to the police’ and was standing on a third floor balcony in a block of flats when she was shot at. Police say many shots were fired in the attack.

Shortly afterwards police were called to a car fire in Osdorp which may have been the getaway vehicle. There have been several gang-related killings in Amsterdam in recent weeks but police refused to speculate if this shooting is connected.

According to the Telegraaf, the victim was of Turkish origin and was hit by bullets from an automatic weapon.