The man accused of the brazen daylight shooting of a prison warden on a crowded restaurant terrace in Amsterdam had previously spent time behind bars in a facility where the 61-year-old victim worked, Dutch prosecutors have confirmed.
The fatal incident, which sent shockwaves through the Dutch capital, took place on Saturday afternoon outside De Baanderij restaurant situated on the NDSM quay, located on the picturesque north bank of the IJ river. The attack occurred in broad daylight in front of dozens of horrified onlookers, including families with young children who were enjoying the weekend atmosphere by the waterfront before the quiet afternoon was shattered by gunfire.
The victim was identified as Marcel Blijd, a dedicated 61-year-old prison warden whose professional life was defined by a strong reputation among his colleagues and inmates alike. According to statements released by the public prosecution service on Monday, the 37-year-old murder suspect, identified only as Amin D., appeared to have reacted violently to a comment made by Blijd that referred back to the suspect’s past period of detention inside the Zaandstad prison.
In the wake of the tragedy, colleagues and prison staff who worked alongside Blijd remembered him warmly, describing him not just as a correctional officer, but as a stabilizing, paternal figure to staff and prisoners alike within the challenging environment of the penitentiary system. His unexpected and violent death while off-duty has left the correctional community reeling, drawing widespread attention to the inherent risks and personal exposure correctional workers face even outside the prison gates.
The legal proceedings following the weekend violence moved swiftly. On Monday, the suspect, Amin D., appeared before a magistrate in Amsterdam for his initial remand hearing. The presiding magistrate ordered that the 37-year-old remain in custody for an additional 14 days while the investigation into the suspected murder continues under the direction of the public prosecution service.
Providing a clearer timeline of the tragic sequence of events, prosecutors released an official statement detailing the moments leading up to the gunfire. Investigators noted that Blijd had encountered and spoken briefly with Amin D. on the restaurant terrace just moments before the violence erupted. Following a short conversation between the two men, the suspect initially left the terrace area. However, within a brief span of time, he returned to the location and confronted Blijd once more, drawing a firearm and shooting the warden multiple times at close range.
Eyewitness accounts and subsequent security and mobile phone video footage from the scene shed light on the immediate aftermath of the shooting. According to the visual evidence and police reports, the gunman made no active attempt to flee the scene of the crime. Instead, after discharging the weapon, he discarded the pistol into the nearby water of the IJ before calmly waiting for authorities to arrive. Police officers reached the NDSM quay within minutes of the emergency calls, at which point the suspect surrendered without further incident and was taken into police custody.
The investigation into the exact nature of the prior relationship between Blijd and Amin D. during the latter’s time at Zaandstad prison remains ongoing. Detectives are working to piece together the full context of the brief conversation that preceded the fatal shooting, examining how the two men crossed paths outside the formal confines of the correctional institution and whether the encounter was entirely coincidental or involved prior planning.
As the legal process unfolds, local authorities and community members continue to process the impact of the attack on the NDSM quay, a popular cultural and culinary hotspot in Amsterdam-Noord that is typically frequented by families, tourists, and local residents seeking relaxation by the waterfront. For the colleagues and loved ones of Marcel Blijd, the focus remains on mourning a man who dedicated his career to the difficult work of the justice system, while the courts prepare to address the grave charges brought against the suspect in the coming weeks.
