Appeal begins in Erasmus gunman case
The court of appeal is hearing the case today against Fouad L., who was sentenced to life in prison in 2025 for three murders.
Listen to this article
There is no audio version yet. Request one and an AI voice will read the article aloud.
Read by an AI voice.
The appeal against Fouad L., the man known as the Erasmus gunman, began in Rotterdam on Thursday. The Public Prosecution Service and the defendant appealed against the ruling sentencing him to life in prison.
The court of appeal is hearing the case in Rotterdam. According to the Public Prosecution Service, the case is listed on Thursday from 9.30am to 1pm.
In February 2025, L. was sentenced by the court to life imprisonment. The court found it proven that on 28 September 2023 he shot dead his 39-year-old neighbour and her 14-year-old daughter. Later that day, a 43-year-old lecturer was also shot dead at Erasmus MC.
The appeal means that the court of appeal will reconsider the substance of the case. The findings of fact, the sentence and the legal assessment may all be revisited. The fact that the Public Prosecution Service has also appealed means that it is not only the defence seeking a different outcome.
The case has previously attracted considerable public and legal attention, partly because of questions about how the defendant was assessed before the shootings and the role played by his earlier contact with healthcare services and the justice system. Those issues may be discussed again on appeal, but the Public Prosecution Service’s agenda contains no substantive details on them.
In this article, the defendant is referred to by his first name and the initial of his surname, in accordance with the Dutch editorial code for defendants without a public role. A ruling by the court of appeal will not automatically be issued today; the court decides for itself when the judgment will be handed down.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The court of appeal is hearing the appeal against the life sentence.
- Both the Public Prosecution Service and the defendant have appealed.
- The court convicted L. of three murders committed on 28 September 2023.
Left
Arguments A careful reassessment is necessary, especially when earlier signals from healthcare services and the justice system form part of the case.
Values Legal protection, prevention and attention to failing institutions.
Consequences A thorough hearing could provide lessons for mental healthcare and the public safety chain.
Centre
Arguments The court should assess only what has been legally proven and what sentence is appropriate in light of that.
Values Independent justice, procedural care and protection of victims’ relatives.
Consequences The outcome may uphold or change the earlier sentence, without political pressure being allowed to lead the way.
Right
Arguments Where a triple murder has been proven, society must be protected in the long term and in a visible manner.
Values Public order, responsibility and protection of victims.
Consequences A lower sentence could put the confidence of victims’ relatives and the public in the justice system under pressure.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The current date of the proceedings and the earlier conviction can be traced to official and independent sources. Unknown details about the course of the hearing have not been presented as facts.
Editor's note
The start of the substantive hearing and the main points of the earlier judgment have been confirmed by the Public Prosecution Service. Details of the hearing itself were not yet available at the time of publication.Sources
- Rotterdamse ‘Erasmusschutter’ (hof) — Openbaar Ministerie
- Erasmusschutter krijgt levenslang voor drievoudige moord — NOS
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „hoger beroep”
- Het Parool — „hoger beroep”
- Trouw — „hoger beroep”