At least nine people, including five children, were killed in a brutal knife attack in Suriname on Sunday, in what authorities described as one of the deadliest violent incidents the country has seen in recent years. The attack took place in the community of Richelieu, located in the Commewijne district around 25 kilometres east of the capital, Paramaribo. Police said multiple victims were found at different homes in the area, indicating the violence unfolded across several locations.
According to officials, four of those killed were the suspect’s own children. The remaining victims included neighbours who rushed in to help after the attack began, as well as a child from a neighbouring family. The scale and nature of the violence have shocked the country, which has traditionally recorded low levels of serious crime.
Police said that a sixth child and another adult sustained serious injuries and were rushed to a hospital in Paramaribo for treatment. Authorities have not released details about their current condition. Emergency services responded quickly, but the severity of the injuries meant that several victims could not be saved.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Suriname’s Police Corps said the suspect, a man whose identity has not yet been made public, tried to assault officers when they arrived at the scene. During the confrontation, he was injured and subsequently taken into custody. Police confirmed that he is currently being treated in hospital under guard. No official motive for the attack has yet been established, and investigators said the case remains under active investigation.
President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons reacted to the tragedy in a message posted on Facebook, expressing deep sorrow over the loss of life. She said the incident had claimed the lives of children and neighbours and described it as a devastating event for the nation. Offering condolences to the affected families, she wrote that she wished them strength and comfort during what she called an unimaginably painful time.
Suriname, a former Dutch colony with a population of about 600,000, has generally been considered one of the safer countries in South America. However, recent figures indicate a worrying rise in violent crime. According to data compiled by the research group InSight Crime, the country’s murder rate rose sharply in 2024 to approximately 30 homicides per 100,000 people, marking a significant increase compared to previous years and raising concerns about public safety and law enforcement capacity.
