This week, six minor defendants (aged 13 to 16 at the time of the incident) were on trial for disposing of a knife and a firearm. According to the Public Prosecution Service, these weapons were used in a stabbing and shooting incident at Purmerend station on February 12, 2024, which resulted in one death and another person being seriously injured. In addition to disposing of a murder weapon and illegal possession of weapons, two of the six defendants were also on trial for assault, theft, battery, and threats. The Public Prosecution Service demanded (partially conditional) juvenile detention, imposition of the PIJ measure, and community service.
Feud
The fatal incident on February 12, 2024, was preceded by a long-running feud between two rival youth groups. The feud began at a festival in 2023, where two boys had a fight. From that moment on, a series of incidents occurred, including assaults, explosions, unlawful deprivation of liberty, and stabbing incidents, with one victim narrowly surviving an arterial bleeding. On February 12, 2024, things went wrong again, this time with fatal consequences. The two rival groups arranged for a one-on-one fight, during which no weapons were to be used. However, shots were fired from one group at the other. A knife was also used. A 19-year-old boy from Purmerend died, and a 19-year-old boy from Medemblik was seriously injured.
Investigation
In the subsequent investigation, multiple individuals were arrested. Four of them are suspected of the homicide. They will stand trial in the fall. The six minors who stood trial this week are suspected of involvement in the crime by disposing of the knife and firearm used in the murder and attempted murder. This is evidenced by intercepted phone conversations, chat messages from seized phones, surveillance footage, and forensic traces. According to the Public Prosecution Service, the defendants knew they were dealing with that weapon when they were asked to clean it and hide it from the police.
Severity
All defendants have been reluctant to testify during the investigation. The prosecutor stated: These children would rather help murderers go free than do the right thing. None of them has been pressured, but they apparently find it normal to keep others from the police and Public Prosecution Service. That says a lot about their conscience and mentality. That is very serious. The defendants, who were 13 and 15 at the time, also have multiple other offenses on their charge sheet.
Sentencing demands
The Public Prosecution Service believes that the then 13-year-old boy is guilty of disposing of a knife used in the commission of murder or attempted murder, as well as removing traces and evading detection. The Public Prosecution Service also believes that he is guilty of assaulting a minor girl in January 2024 in a park in Purmerend. Additionally, the Public Prosecution Service holds him responsible for attempted extortion and death threats in April 2024 and a stabbing incident in Amsterdam in September 2024. Finally, the Public Prosecution Service accuses him of assaulting an NS conductor, possession of a fake firearm indistinguishable from a real one, and theft of a bicycle. The Public Prosecution Service demanded 360 days of juvenile detention, of which 63 days are conditional with a probation period of two years, a conditional PIJ measure, and contact bans with co-defendants.
The Public Prosecution Service believes that the then 15-year-old boy is guilty of disposing of a knife used in the commission of murder or attempted murder, as well as removing traces and evading detection. The Public Prosecution Service also believes he is guilty of assaulting two minor girls in January 2024 in a park in Purmerend. Additionally, the Public Prosecution Service accuses him of multiple thefts in July 2024, threatening a police officer in October 2024, and theft under threat of violence at the station in Purmerend in February 2025. The Public Prosecution Service demanded 270 days of juvenile detention, of which 103 days are conditional with a probation period of two years and contact bans with co-defendants.
The four defendants who were 16 years old at the time are considered by the Public Prosecution Service to be guilty of complicity in disposing of a murder weapon and possession of a knife or firearm. The Public Prosecution Service demanded (partially conditional) juvenile detention ranging from 45 days and community service ranging from 40 to 120 hours.
The court is expected to deliver its verdict on July 24.