5 people have been seriously wounded in an Amsterdam stabbing. The suspect is in custody

AMSTERDAM (news agencies) — A knife-wielding assailant seriously wounded five people in a stabbing attack on a busy shopping street in Amsterdam before he was taken into custody, police said Thursday.

The man who carried out the attack in the Dutch city was injured as he was stopped by a passerby. The attack happened near Dam Square in the late afternoon. No motive has been established.

“The suspect was detained with the help of a civilian,” police spokesperson Eline Roovers told media.

Police cordoned off the area and several ambulances were called to the scene. A trauma helicopter landed on the square but later departed. A city council meeting involving Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema was interrupted because of the stabbing.

Last year, the city experienced several stabbings attributed to people with mental health issues. Amsterdam set up a hotline last month for residents to report concerns about irrational behavior. The reporting mechanism was recommended after an investigation showed that a man was stabbed to death by his neighbor.