Police release picture of man linked to Utrecht shooting

Dutch police today released picture of a man in connection with the Utrecht shooting incident which occurred on Monday morning.

The police said the picture belonged to 37-year-old Gökman Tanis who was born in Turkey.

Eyewitnesses had said the man opened fire on a tram in  Oktoberplein and fled the area. The police sounded alert in airports and closed schools while launching a manhunt for the suspected gunman.

"Do not approach him," the police alerted the people.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the incident was "deeply disturbing" and police stepped up security at mosques and airports.

"We cannot exclude a terrorist motive," the head of the Dutch national counter-terrorism service, Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg said.

Aalbersberg said there had been shooting at "several locations". "A major police operation is underway to arrest the gunman," he said, adding,"The terror alert level in Utrecht was raised to maximum level five."