Police identify Ukrainian man, 30, as suspect of Amsterdam mass stabbing stopped by ‘hero’ British tourist
29 March 2025, 16:44 | Updated: 31 March 2025, 09:05
A Ukrainian man has been identified by police as the suspect who stabbed five people in Amsterdam, before being tackled to the ground by a 'hero' British tourist.
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Investigators said the man, who stabbed five victims on the streets of central Amsterdam on Thursday, is from the Donetsk region in Ukraine.
Donetsk has been partially controlled by Russian troops since 2022, but has mostly been ran by Russian-backed paramilitary groups for much longer.
The knifeman was arrested on the scene after he was hunted down by a brave British tourist who tackled him to the ground after the attack.
The British tourist, who has not been identified, kneeled on the man and apprehended him until the police arrived.
Dutch police have now said the Ukrainian suspect will face an examining magistrate in an Amsterdam court on Tuesday, who will decide whether he can remain in custody ahead of his trial.
In a statement, Dutch investigators said: "The police have now established the identity of the suspect in the stabbing. He is a 30-year-old man of Ukrainian nationality, from the Donetsk region (Eastern Ukraine).
"This suspect will be brought before the examining magistrate of the court in Amsterdam on Tuesday 1 April, who will decide on a possible extension of the pre-trial detention.
"The investigation team is still busy with the investigation. We can therefore not answer any other questions at this time."
Read more: Tourists among five injured in knife attack in popular tourist hotspot in Amsterdam
The British man who restrained the knifeman that has been awarded for the bravery of his actions.
In a dramatic clip that has surface online, the man dressed in blue denim jeans and a black Nike hoodie can be seen kneeling down on the suspect after reportedly wrestling him to the ground.
The mystery Brit has since since been dubbed the 'hero of the Dam' for his life-saving act.
Local reports also cite eyewitnesses saying the man who took out the knife-wielder was British, with some speculating that he was an off-duty police officer.
Amsterdam's mayor Femke Halsema has also hailed the man for his actions.
Femke Halsema wrote on Instagram: 'This afternoon I will talk to the citizen who managed to overpower the suspect. To hear his story and to be able to thank him for his heroic act.
'He is a very modest man... He has no desire to become famous. He is now mainly concerned with the victims, he feels responsible for them.'
She was not the only who heaped praise on the "hero".
Maarten Brinkm, head of the ACP police union, wrote on X: "A big thumbs-up for the decisive action of this hero.
“The heroic citizen can count on massive praise.”
The attack on Thursday lasted several minutes before the assailant was stopped near the city's Dam Square in the late afternoon.
Earlier on Friday, police revealed that the suspect used multiple knives in the attack but have yet to give any motive behind the horrifying incident - with the victims reportedly selected at random.
An investigation is ongoing.
The victims were identified as a 67-year-old woman and a 69-year old man from the US, a 73-year-old woman from Belgium, a 26-year-old man from Poland and a 19-year old Dutch woman from Amsterdam.
"The police investigation is in full swing and has full priority at the moment. We hope to soon get more clarity about the background of this horrible stabbing," Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema said in a statement.
Last year, the city experienced several stabbings attributed to people with mental health issues. Amsterdam set up a hotline last month for residents to report concerns about irrational behaviour.
The reporting mechanism was recommended after an investigation showed that a man was stabbed to death by his neighbour.
Police have also urged people to share footage of what happened with them.
