Royal attack: death toll reaches seven

A seventh person injured when a black Suzuki drove through the crowd watching the royal family’s motorcade in Apeldoorn on Thursday has died, officials said on Friday.


Five people died on Friday in the direct aftermath of the attack. The driver of the car, 38-year-old Karst Tate, died of his injuries in the early hours of this morning. Eight people are still in hospital – three women, three men and two children. One woman is very seriously ill.
In Apeldoorn itself, people have begun placing flowers at site of the accident. Many of the flowers were part of the decorations for yesterday’s planned procession at the Het Loo palace.
At a news conference on Friday, Apeldoorn mayor Fred de Graaf, still visibly emotional, praised the emergency services and others who helped those hit by the car. ‘There is a general feeling of dismay’ throughout Apeldoorn, he told reporters.
Mystery
The reason for Karst Tate’s attack on the royal family during the Queen’s Day celebrations on Thursday is still complete mystery.
‘Was it an attack on the monarchy or the desperate deed of a madman who could no longer pay his rent?,’ the Telegraaf asked.
The man told the emergency services after his black Suzuki Swift slammed into railings that it was a deliberate act.
The paper says the man had been recently sacked as a security official and had told his landlord he could no longer pay the rent. He was due to hand over the keys to a new tenant on Friday.
He was unknown to the police, public prosecution department and mental health services. ‘I have never had such a well-behaved tenant. He always paid on time,’ landlord Sem Bosman told the paper.
Remembrance day
The state information service RVD said on Friday that queen Beatrix, crown prince Willem-Alexander and princess Máxima will attend the traditional wreath-laying ceremony at the Amsterdam war memorial on Monday.
But security measures in the capital will be tightened up, news agency ANP reported.
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Five killed in deliberate attack on royal bus

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