THE HAGUE: Dutch police arrested a man on Thursday in connection with the gunning down of two men in a busy McDonald's restaurant, confirming a possible targeted assassination.
The 32-year-old man handed himself in to a police station in Deventer about 32km from the northern city of Zwolle, where the shooting happened a day before.
"Police are now probing his role in the incident," law enforcement authorities said in a statement.
Dutch media reports meanwhile identified the victims as two brothers, aged 57 and 62.
Huseyin and Ali Torunlar were two local businessmen involved in the hospitality industry and have Turkish-Dutch background, several Dutch newspapers said.
Police have not yet officially confirmed the men's identities.
Shocked patrons – including schoolchildren who had just finished football practice – fled in panic as the gunman opened fire, with witnesses saying he emptied an entire pistol magazine on the victims.
Witnesses told the RTL Oost broadcaster the gunman sat at a table across the men before the shooting started.
"The suspect was watching the two Turkish victims for some time," RTL Oost said.
"This looks like a cold-blooded and well-planned double liquidation."
Police and medical workers swarmed the scene shortly afterwards, where shocked relatives and patrons could be seen being consoled by others.
.
Police have opened a large-scale investigation into the shooting.
"But from the investigation police believe that the two victims were targeted," authorities said.
"Police would like to speak to any people who were inside the restaurant or on its premises just before and during the time of the incident." – AFP