Man suspected of shooting prison warden knew victim from jail

The man accused of shooting dead a prison warden on a packed restaurant terrace in Amsterdam had spent time in a jail where the 61-year-old man worked, prosecutors confirmed on Monday.

Marcel Blijd died after being shot outside De Baanderij restaurant on the NDSM quay, on the north bank of the IJ, on Saturday afternoon. Dozens of people, some of them children, witnessed the incident.

The public prosecution service said the suspected gunman, 37-year-old Amin D., appeared to have reacted to a comment Blijd made referring to his detention in Zaandstad prison. Staff at the jail described Blijd as a “father figure” to staff and prisoners alike.

D. appeared in court on Monday before a magistrate, who ordered him to be detained for another 14 days on suspicion of murder.

The prosecution said in a statement that Blijd had spoken to D. on the terrace just before the shooting. “After a short conversation … the suspect left the terrace, but he returned shortly afterwards and shot the victim several times.”

Video footage showed the gunman made no attempt to flee, but flung the pistol into the water and surrendered to police when they arrived a few minutes later.