Fatal carelessness Lorentzlaan

The Amsterdam court sentenced four suspects to prison terms of up to two years after a fatal shooting in a home on Lorentzlaan in Amsterdam-Watergraafsmeer. The incident happened on 14 March 2020 and resulted in the death of their close friend Joey Uiterwijk (23). The men had spent hours handling a firearm, which they believed was unloaded. The weapon, a Glock, and the magazine containing ammunition were passed around several times as if they were toys. The suspects repeatedly loaded and unloaded the ammunition while playing around with the gun. At one point, the weapon was pointed at Joey Uiterwijk as a joke, after which a shot suddenly went off and hit him in the head. The court ruled that the suspects had acted with serious carelessness, because the weapon had been aimed at the victim without checking whether it was loaded. The suspected shooter, Shaquille L. (25), received the highest sentence: two years in prison, with eight months suspended. According to the court, it was established that he fired the shot while playfully pointing the weapon at Uiterwijk. The Public Prosecution Service had demanded four years in prison, but the court did not find the legal qualification of recklessness proven, because Shaquille L. had not been aware of the risk. Xavier F. (23) was sentenced to eighteen months in prison, with six months suspended. According to the court, he had brought the firearm, cocaine and MDMA to Shaquille L.’s home. The court held this strongly against him, partly because he had a substantial criminal record and was considered to have had a negative influence on the others. Daniel S. (23) from Hoorn and Roël G. (24) from Amsterdam were each sentenced to three months in prison for firearm possession. They were acquitted of causing death by negligence, because the court could not determine who had loaded the weapon.