Asylum seeker arrested for suspected murder of 17 year old woman in Amsterdam

In Amsterdam, a 22-year-old asylum seeker from a COA center was arrested for the suspected murder of 17-year-old Lisa, a student from Abcoude, who was fatally stabbed while cycling home around 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Lisa, who had been out with friends, called emergency services but was found dead from stab wounds near the Johan Cruijff Arena.

Authorities also suspect the man of raping a woman in Amsterdam the previous week and attempting an sexual assault on August 10, initially thought to be a robbery.

René de Beukelaer, head of public prosecution, stated, “On the basis of the findings of the investigation, we have the serious suspicion that it was one and the same suspect.” Mayor Femke Halsema called the murder “appalling and unforgivable,” emphasizing the need for enhanced safety measures for women. “As a mayor, but also as a woman and a mother, this past week chilled my heart,” she said, noting that “thousands of women are now rightfully demanding back the night.”

The suspect faces murder and rape charges at a preliminary hearing on Monday. Police urge witnesses to come forward.