An individual believed to be a knifeman has fatally stabbed nine people, including five children, and caused serious injuries to others in Suriname’s capital of Paramaribo. The incident occurred on Saturday night following a dispute over the phone with his estranged wife. The suspect reportedly first attacked his own children and then proceeded to assault neighbors in a violent confrontation. Local media indicated that the altercation began when the wife mentioned sending someone else to pick up the children instead of going herself.
In addition to the casualties, a sixth child and another adult sustained severe injuries and are currently receiving medical attention at a hospital in Paramaribo. Law enforcement responded to the scene on a road in Richelieu, located in the Commewijne district, approximately 15 miles east of Paramaribo. The suspect attempted to attack the police with a sharp object and was subsequently shot in the leg before being apprehended. He is now hospitalized under police supervision.
The victims included four adults and five children, with the Surinamese President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons confirming that the suspect’s family and neighbors were among those tragically affected. Geerlings-Simons expressed her condolences and solidarity with the grieving individuals, acknowledging the somber reality faced in such trying times.
Suriname, a former Dutch colony and the smallest country in South America with a population of around 600,000, has encountered political upheavals and a civil conflict since gaining independence from the Netherlands in 1975. Although historically maintaining a relatively low murder rate compared to other South American nations, the country experienced a surge last year, recording 30 homicides per 100,000 residents, as reported by Insight Crime.