The condition of Peter R. de Vries is late Tuesday evening that he is seriously injured and is fighting for his life. This was reported by Femke Halsema, the mayor of Amsterdam, during an inserted press conference. The crime journalist, who also worked as a football broker, was shot in Amsterdam around 7.30 pm on Tuesday. Frank Paauw, chief of police of the Amsterdam Regional Police Unit, adds that three suspects have been arrested.
De Vries was a guest on the television program RTL Boulevard on Tuesday evening. At about 7:30 am, when the program had just ended, the journalist was shot outside the studio. He was hit in the head. “Ladies and gentlemen, as you know, Peter R. de Vries was shot tonight,” Halsema opened the press conference. “At the moment we only know that he is seriously injured and is fighting for his life. I can’t tell you more now.”
Halsema expresses her condolences. “Our hearts go out to his family, to his family and his friends. Peter R. de Vries is a national hero to all of us. A journalist of rare courage, tirelessly seeking justice. Completely independent and free of mind. He stands up for people in need, for parents of a murdered child, or for people who have been wrongly convicted. He keeps the investigative authorities sharp and thus the rule of law on course. He is far from finished.”
Paauw, chief of police of the Amsterdam police, reports that three suspects have been arrested. “We got a view of a possible getaway car on the A4,” says Paauw. “Two suspects were also arrested. We think that this includes a possible gunman. A third suspect has been arrested at a different location in Amsterdam. We sympathize with the family of Peter R. de Vries and are doing everything we can to prevent this. case. There is a large investigative team at work, where we will do everything we can to solve this cowardly case.”
René de Beukelaer, chief public prosecutor, does not want to say much about the security around De Vries. “I know you will have many questions about Mr De Vries’ security,” says De Beukelaer. “You know that as a rule we do not make announcements about this. We do that because we do not want to make others wiser than they are. I cannot do that now either. All this took place tonight after a broadcast of RTL Boulevard. There is currently no indication that the security surrounding this program is at risk.”