A gunman killed seven people including himself in a shooting spree at a shopping center during Saturday busy hours in a town about 30 km southwest of Amsterdam.

The man arrived at the mall in the town of Alphen aan den Rijn in a black Mercedes. He ran across the shopping center firing randomly at people with an automatic weapon, instantly killing five people and wounded 16 others.

He took his own life with a pistol after wrapping up the killing tour at the gate of the mall. Police arrived while the shooting was going on, but failed to stop him. One critically injured died at the hospital.

“It is too terrible to describe, “said Bas Eenhoorn, mayor of the town, at a press conference. “It is a shock for all of us. Parents and children were present. It is almost incomprehensible that this has happened. We wish everyone connected with this much strength to cope with this tragedy,” he said.

Prime minister Mark Rutte and Queen Beatrix also expressed their grief and sympathy with the victims and their families.

A note was found in the killer’s car about explosive devices in three other malls. All the mentioned shopping centers were closed right away, but noting was found yet.

Some dead bodies remained at the spot for quite a while during the investigation. Peter Lemmers, whose apartment is next to the shopping center, said the gunman’s car and one dead body were around all afternoon.

“I had just returned from the mall”, he told Xinhua. ” Normally I walk around there at the time when it happened .. The mall is always awfully busy at that time. It’s a disaster.”

Eyewitness Marcelo Groen works at a nearby DIY Store. “I heard the shooting and wanted to take a look, but then people started running into our shop,” he told Xinhua.

“They ran to the rear part of our shop and fell down on the stairs. I was lying on the floor and when the shooting eased, I went outside. I saw people lying on the ground, blood, dead bodies, everyone in panic. A shopkeeper was shot dead, a child was shot in the leg,” he said.

The gunman, Tristan van der Vlis, was identified as a 24-year- old citizen of the same town. Living with his father near the shopping center, he was a member of a shooting club and had a license to five weapons.

His mother found a farewell letter in his home, in which he mentioned about suicide but not the motive. He was no stranger for the police with alleged case involving violation to the law of arms and ammunition in 2003. That case was eventually dismissed.

Exactly a week ago, two people were killed in a shooting in the same district of the town. It is not clear whether the two cases are connected.