The Public Prosecution Service (OM) demands prison sentences of up to three years against two men for shooting at a house in Almere. According to the OM, this was a targeted action against a caregiver, who, according to one of the suspects, was involved in the removal of his children. Due to fears of recurrence, the OM also demands a location and contact ban regarding the victim.
According to the OM, the file shows that the men came to Almere on July 7, 2024, to shoot at the victims house. Two bullets were fired at the house, one went through the front door and one through the adjacent wall. The resident was home but was not injured.
Video Footage and DNA
In the view of the OM, there is no doubt that the two suspects, a 29-year-old man from Lelystad and a 23-year-old man from Amsterdam, are responsible. The evidence includes surveillance footage showing the shooting. Additionally, their phone records confirm their presence, and the firearm was found at the address where the 29-year-old suspect frequently stayed. Both suspects DNA was found on the weapon. Ultimately, the 23-year-old suspect also confessed.
Although the 23-year-old suspect is the shooter, the OM speaks of a close collaboration between the two men. The 29-year-old suspect is the one with a motive. He blamed the caregiver for the removal of his children. The suspect was very angry about this and had previously threatened the victim. His claim that he was present but did not know the other man would shoot is deemed unbelievable by the OM.
Bullet Through the Head
Therefore, both suspects are, according to the OM, guilty of attempted manslaughter. “One shot went through the front door and hit a coat hanging further down the hallway,” the prosecutor says. “The other went through the wooden wall next to the front door, diagonally through the toilet.” Experts determine that if someone had been sitting on the toilet, that person would have been hit in the head.
By shooting at the house without checking whether it was empty, the men took a great risk of causing a fatality. They also caused a lot of fear with their actions. “And not just for the victim,” the prosecutor explains. “This affects the sense of safety of an entire neighborhood, of all the residents around, while your home should be the place where you feel safe.”
Appropriate Punishment
When determining the sentence demand, various circumstances are taken into account. The prosecutor reproaches the 29-year-old suspect for trying to blame his co-defendant. “If the suspect is not willing to take responsibility for his actions, then retribution is the only appropriate punishment,” the prosecutor states. Therefore, the OM demands an unconditional prison sentence of three years against him.
Additionally, in the view of the OM, a location and contact ban regarding the victim and the shot house is also necessary. “The suspects phone shows that on July 14, a week after the incident, he tried to buy grenades via Telegram.”
Juvenile Detention
For the 23-year-old suspect, consideration is given to the advice to prosecute him under juvenile law. Experts have determined that this suspect is lagging behind in his development. It is also taken into account that the suspect was still on probation for another serious violent offense.
Taking everything into account, the OM demands twenty months of juvenile detention for this suspect, six months of which are conditional. Special conditions apply, requiring the suspect, in addition to the location and contact ban, to accept help.
The court will issue its ruling in two weeks.