The man suspected of inciting two minors (aged 15 and 16) to shoot at coffeeshop Caza in Tilburg appeared in court today. He is held responsible for the incident on March 30, 2024, during which two youths shot at the building with a firearm.
The coffeeshop Caza in Tilburg has been under attack since March 10, 2022. So far, ten violent incidents have been reported. For example, flammable substances have been thrown against the window, a hand grenade was placed at the door, and the building has been shot at multiple times by people with a firearm.
The background of these incidents remains unclear to this day. However, it is evident that the number of incidents has reached ten. The events of March 30, 2024, were the seventh incident.
‘Incited with false promises’
“In Tilburg, the fear among residents near the coffeeshop must be enormous, as the same building has been targeted time and again,” said the prosecutor during the hearing.
In the case of the suspect, the allegation is not that he was one of the executors, but the instigator. According to the Public Prosecution Service, he contacted a boy via Snapchat and asked him to shoot at the Caza building. That boy brought along a minor friend when he had to go to Amsterdam to retrieve the firearm he could use.
The co-defendants, then 15 and 16 years old, traveled back to Tilburg by train with the weapon in their bag. Here they shot at the building on March 30, 2024, and the day after the shooting incident, they went to Amsterdam to return the weapon to the suspect.
Incitement and threats
The accusation against the suspect is that he incited two others to shoot at Caza. This was promised in exchange for five thousand euros. The Public Prosecution Service sees this as incitement to the destruction of a property and incitement to threaten the property owner, the holders of the Caza license, the owners family, and any present individuals.
The Public Prosecution Service and the police are very concerned about this ongoing wave of explosions and shootings. This raises fear for everyone. Shooting at buildings often aims to intimidate or threaten individuals. Such acts create understandable feelings of fear, unrest, and insecurity in society.
The prosecutor stated: “The suspect has contributed to the feelings of unrest and fear that arise following such acts. The suspect did not let himself be deterred, even by the foreseeable danger of damage. The Public Prosecution Service therefore finds a prison sentence of 30 months appropriate.”
The two minors who shot at the building will appear in court in Breda tomorrow. This hearing will take place behind closed doors due to the young age of the defendants.