by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
PARAMARIBO/AMSTERDAM (Worthy News) – A knife attack outside Suriname’s capital Paramaribo killed at least nine people, including five children, police said Sunday, in one of the deadliest violent incidents in the small country’s recent history.
The attack occurred in Richelieu, a small community in Suriname’s Commewijne District, about 25 kilometers (15 miles) east of Paramaribo, authorities confirmed.
Police said the victims included the attacker’s own children as well as neighbors who tried to help. Local media reported that victims were found at multiple homes.
The suspect—a 43-year-old man—allegedly attacked after a telephone argument with his estranged wife, according to police and witness accounts.
Neighbors said the violence began after the woman indicated she would not pick up the children herself but would send someone else.
PRESIDENT REACTS, DUTCH MEDIA REPORT SHOCK
In a statement, Suriname’s Police Corps said officers who responded were also threatened, and the suspect was injured during his arrest. He is now recovering in a hospital under guard, police added.
Authorities said a sixth child and another adult were seriously injured and remain hospitalized in Paramaribo.
Suriname’s President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons expressed condolences, saying the attacker took the lives of his children and neighbors.
“I wish all the bereaved much strength, resilience, and comfort in this unimaginably difficult time,” she wrote in Dutch, Suriname’s official language.
Dutch public broadcasters and major newspapers reported extensively on the tragedy, highlighting Suriname’s historical ties to the Netherlands as a former Dutch colony.
MASS VIOLENCE
Dutch outlets underscored the rarity of such mass violence in Suriname and relayed the president’s statement.
That also noted police confirmation that the suspect was taken into custody and that the investigation is ongoing.
Suriname, the smallest independent nation in South America, has a population of about 600,000 and has traditionally recorded low homicide rates.
However, crime-monitoring data show the murder rate rose sharply in 2024, to around 30 homicides per 100,000 residents, drawing renewed attention to public safety and domestic violence prevention.
Police said the investigation continues and urged residents to seek help if they experience domestic threats or violence.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Florida on Sunday ahead of a pivotal meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, amid growing Israeli concern that Washington may push forward with Phase II of the Gaza agreement without securing Israel’s core security demands.
Israel has officially deployed its Iron Beam laser-based air defense system in operational field use, marking a historic breakthrough in modern warfare, the Defense Ministry announced Sunday. The system has now transitioned from development and testing into active service with the Israel Defense Forces, becoming the world’s first high-power laser interception platform to reach full operational status.
A knife attack outside Suriname’s capital Paramaribo killed at least nine people, including five children, police said Sunday, in one of the deadliest violent incidents in the small country’s recent history.
One person was killed and another critically injured Sunday after two helicopters collided midair in southern New Jersey, U.S. authorities said, adding to heightened concern over aviation safety following an earlier deadly air disaster near the nation’s capital.
Christians in Indonesia’s West Java were weighing their options Sunday after Muslims reportedly formed a human wall to block members of a Protestant church from reaching their Christmas worship service, in an incident that has underscored concerns about religious extremism in the country.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is holding talks with former U.S. President Donald Trump at his Florida residence, as part of renewed efforts to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. The discussions come just hours after Moscow issued a fresh warning over the possible deployment of European peacekeepers.
Authorities in Japan continued an investigation Sunday after confirming that at least two people were killed and 26 were injured in a massive multi-vehicle crash on a snow-covered expressway, as millions began traveling for the year-end and New Year holidays.