Dutch government hits out at US gun crime after commandos shot outside Indianapolis hotel

‘We do many trainings of our servicemen in the United States, and we really don’t expect this to happen. So it’s very, very concerning for us’

The Netherlands government has expressed concern after three soldiers from the Dutch army’s Commando Corps were shot outside a hotel in Indianapolis over the weekend, one fatally.

Dutch defense minister Kajsa Ollongren met her European counterparts on Tuesday. She told reporters in Prague after the meeting that the state of affairs in the Netherlands’ “most important ally” had become troubling, reported The Washington Post.

“We do many trainings of our servicemen in the United States, and we really don’t expect this to happen. So it’s very, very concerning for us,” Ms Ollongren said.

On Monday, the Netherlands Ministry of Defence said 26-year-old Simmie Poetsema died the previous night “surrounded by family and colleagues”.

He was one of three soldiers from the Dutch army’s Commando Corps who were shot outside a hotel during a break from exercises in southern Indiana on Saturday morning.

According to an Indianapolis department statement released on Monday, the other two soldiers sustained injuries that are “currently believed to be non-life-threatening”.

Dutch authorities said the two commandos were “conscious and able to speak”.

Indianapolis have arrested 22-year-old Shamar Duncan on a preliminary charge of murder.

On Monday, Indianapolis mayor Joe Hogsett said that the Dutch soldiers, who were in the US for training exercises, had returned to the hotel after a “scuffle” at a bar and were outside when the gunfire came from what he called “a drive-by shooting”.

However, on Tuesday, the Indianapolis police declined to confirm Mr Hogsett’s account or give more information on the shooting.

Ms Ollongren also declined to comment on the circumstances of the shooting and said that there is “good contact” between Dutch military police police and Indianapolis authorities.

“We have read things in the media, we have heard what the mayor said but we feel it’s very important to have a real thorough investigation. So we’re waiting for that until we comment on what actually happened,” she said.

Additional reporting by agencies