9 killed in Suriname stabbing attack; suspect’s children among victims

Nine people were killed and several others were seriously injured when a man stabbed multiple victims, including his children, in Suriname, according to police.

The attack occurred overnight between Saturday and early Sunday in a residential area of the Commewijne district, east of the capital, Paramaribo, according to Suriname police. Officers said the 42-year-old suspect used a sharp object to attack multiple victims in and around nearby homes.

Police said the victims included four of the suspect’s children, ranging in age from 5 to 15, and five neighbors between the ages of 7 and 80. Authorities said nine people died at the scene. The suspect’s oldest daughter and a 72-year-old neighbor were taken to a hospital in Paramaribo with severe stab wounds.

According to a preliminary police investigation, the suspect allegedly carried out the attack after a phone call with his former partner. Police said that when officers responded, the suspect also attacked them with a sharp object.

Police said warning shots were fired, but when the suspect did not comply and the situation remained threatening, officers used their firearms, striking the suspect in the legs. The suspect was taken to a hospital for treatment and placed under police guard.

Authorities said the suspect may have previously received psychiatric treatment, though that information remains under investigation.

Suriname is a small country on the northern coast of South America, bordering Guyana, French Guiana and Brazil. It has a population of about 600,000 and was formerly a Dutch colony before gaining independence in 1975.