9 killed, including 5 children, in deadly attack near Suriname capital

Nine people, including five children, were killed in a violent attack on the outskirts of Paramaribo, police in Suriname confirmed on Sunday.

According to authorities, the victims were attacked overnight from Saturday into early Sunday. A sixth child and an adult were injured and taken to hospital for treatment. Police said officers responding to the scene detained a male suspect after he confronted them with a sharp object; he was shot in the leg during the arrest and remains hospitalized under police guard.

Local media reports, citing officials and residents, have suggested the suspect may have been experiencing mental health issues, though police have not confirmed this. The country’s president said members of her family and neighborhood were among those killed.

In a statement, President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons expressed condolences to the victims’ families, calling the incident a stark and painful reminder of life’s fragility. She urged loved ones to support one another during what she described as an unimaginably difficult time.

Police said investigations are ongoing and that additional details about the circumstances surrounding the attack will be released as they become available.

Suriname typically records relatively low levels of fatal violent crime, making the incident particularly shocking for the nation, which has a complex political history since gaining independence from the Netherlands in 1975.