Damian (21) falls dead after raid on ‘spontaneous party’: ‘Nightmare of every cop’ | Abroad

The twenties fell from a fourth-floor window. Saturday night four o’clock, on the edge of the Antwerp Theaterplein. After several reports of noise nuisance, a police patrol arrives on the spot. An unknown number of young people in the Ibis hotel on the other side of the street do not care about the curfew and are having a party. The Belgian authorities speak of a ‘spontaneously grown party’. According to the first investigative actions, nothing indicates a deliberately pre-organized lockdown party, it sounds.

There is mention of different persons, eight in total, who had booked several rooms and did not know each other. Damian R. (21), from Deurne and with Polish roots, was reportedly there with his girlfriend. The eight people involved got to know each other during the evening and decided to have a party together.

The fact is that earlier that night the staff of the budget hotel is already going to get redress on the top floor in vain. If that doesn’t work, the police will come to the scene. The signal for the eight youngsters to hide. Damian R. flees to the window, opens it, tries to clamber out and falls several meters down. Various people, including the agents, witnessed the scene, according to Nieuwsblad.

Died instantly

The Antwerp public prosecutor’s office announced on Sunday morning that the police inspectors tried to resuscitate the victim in vain. The medical staff could also do nothing more. Damian R. must have been killed instantly by the heavy blow. “The other hotel guests, the hotel staff and the police officers involved were deeply impressed by the facts and can count on assistance from the victim support service.”

The autopsy will have to show how much the victim was under the influence of certain intoxicants. Whether the other seven people present will receive a corona fine or will have to defend themselves later in the police court is not yet a foregone conclusion.

On Sunday evening, friends of Damian laid flowers in front of the Ibis hotel. They also mourned together in silence.

Mental wellbeing

Antwerp mayor is also shocked and speaks of the “tragic death of a young Antwerp resident.” “Since the start of the controls at lockdown parties, we have noticed that people try to avoid being checked by the police. However, the security services have our public interest in mind and are there to assist us where necessary. Police officers throughout this country have proven in the past year to perform their difficult task professionally and with integrity in exceptional circumstances. ”

De Wever links the death of Damian R. to the consequences of the lockdown on the mental well-being of young people and hopes for a serene social debate. The question is whether the fatal story can be included in this.

A survey in three other large student cities – Brussels, Leuven and Ghent – shows that in recent weeks there has been frequent fleeing for police officers along roofs and through gardens. For example, last weekend in Borgerhout a fleeing woman was injured in the shoulder when she tried to escape from a toilet window during a check. In Brussels, a lockdown party was halted with 88 attendees. In Ghent, too, the police had to turn out several times on Saturday. In one place even twice.

‘Every cop’s nightmare’

Yet there have not suddenly been significantly more lockdown parties with young people in recent weeks, it sounds. It fluctuates from zone to zone, from weekend to weekend. The death of Damian R. is the first in Belgium during such a banned party. “Such an incident is the nightmare of every police officer on patrol,” said Ghent police spokesman Matto Langeraert.

Same sound in Leuven with spokesman Mathieu Caudron. “As an agent you always try to enter into a calm dialogue. The sanction will only follow in the second instance. If they flee safely through a garden or gate, that’s a shame for us, but also the end of the nuisance. What happened in Antwerp is of course deeply tragic for all involved. ”

–