A Dutch commando was killed when he and two teammates were shot outside a hotel in downtown Indianapolis over the weekend.
The commando, who was in serious condition in the hospital after the shooting, died of his injuries on Sunday night, according to a statement issued by the Dutch Ministry of Defense today.
3 Dutch Soldiers Involved in Dispute Prior to Shooting in Indiana
The soldier, whose identification was not published, was one of three Dutch Commando Corps soldiers who were shot and injured at approximately 3:30 am on Saturday following what local police think was a commotion outside the hotel where they were staying.
According to the ministry, the two other injured troops are conscious and able to communicate following the incident outside a nearby Hampton Inn. According to the NL Times, the three troops, who were in Indiana for training, were involved in an altercation previous to the shooting.
As reported by the Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad, the wounded men are members of the anti-terrorism 108 Commando Company. The group is training in a facility built to teach urban combat.
Police were notified to the Hampton Inn at 3:30 am, when they discovered three injured individuals laying outside the motel, according to Fox59. Authorities have many witnesses but no arrests have been made. The shooting took occurred outside of the hotel.
The incident took place in the 100 block of South Meridian Street, at the junction of Meridian and Maryland streets. Indiana authorities stated that they do not believe the shooting was random and that there is no danger to the public.
Indiana Mayor Sets Grants for Anti-Violence
Although fatal shootings in Indianapolis are down from 2021's record-breaking figure of 271, 2022 is still on track to be the city's second-deadliest year. Despite the lower overall homicide rate, nearly twice as many juveniles have been killed on the city's streets this year compared to last.
The Mayor's office has put aside $15 million for community anti-violence initiatives around the city. The relatives of the victims have been contacted, according to the Dutch military agency.
The US and Dutch military have a long history of cooperation. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with his Dutch colleague, Kajsa Ollongren, at the Pentagon in July 2022. Austin commended the Dutch for their assistance of Ukraine during the Russian incursion at a press conference following the meeting.
According to Austin, the two countries also work together to combat drug smuggling in the Caribbean. "I know the Netherlands is equally dedicated to a free and open Indo-Pacific," he continued.
The Netherlands has just bought F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and MQ-9 Reaper drones from the United States. Ollongren also noted ties between the United States and the Netherlands armies in combating cybercrime. The soldiers had been training at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center, some 40 miles southeast of Indianapolis, according to the Indiana National Guard, Daily Mail reported.
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