One Dead, Several Hurt in Dutch Tram Shooting

 Dutch police said several people had been shot in a tram in the central city of Utrecht on Monday and that there may have been a “terrorist motive”.

A gunman opened fire inside a tram in the Dutch city of Utrecht, killing one person and injuring several others, reports say.

The area in the west of the city has been cordoned off by authorities, and emergency services are at the scene.

Authorities said the gunman is still at large. Police have asked people to stay away from the area and schools to keep their doors closed.

They say they are investigating a "possible terrorist motive".

The Dutch anti-terrorism co-ordinator is in touch with local authorities and says the threat level has been temporarily raised to its highest point in Utrecht.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he was "deeply concerned" and cancelled his weekly coalition talks.

The shooting took place around the 24 Oktoberplein junction at about 10:45 local time (09:45 GMT). Three helicopters have been despatched.

Security services have reportedly told Utrecht's University Medical Centre to open the dedicated emergency ward to help care for the injured.

"A man started shooting wildly," one eyewitness told Dutch news site NU.nl.

Another witness told Dutch public broadcaster NOS he saw an injured woman with blood on her hands and clothes.

"I brought her into my car and helped her," he said. "When the police arrived, she was unconscious."

It is unknown how many were injured or how seriously they were hurt.

Utrecht's transport authority said some tram services were again running in the city, although warned travellers to "take into account additional travel time".