The Utrecht shooting. A personal balance.

[DFW]

My good friend there was told about the shooting immediately, was freaked out to hear it took place on the tram line his kids take to school every day (including yesterday).

The line was shut down after the shooting, and he had to pick up his kids from school in his car.

As he was picking up his kids from school, the police were there, having the grim duty of telling one of their classmates that his father was one of the dead. According to eyewitnesses, he had seen the first person shot, and rushed to help. That is when he was shot, too. He did not survive the shooting.

My friend's brother-in-law was the arresting office when the shooter was arrested. The arrest took place two doors down from the residence of one of his best young employees.

For some people, these incidents are more than just headlines from "somewhere else."

[Sherman A1]

1. I have a friend in The Netherlands

and when I heard of the shooting I had to stop and think a bit as to the location vs her home. She is a considerable distance from Utrecht but still it is as you say for some more than just "somewhere else".

[DFW]

2. Plus, it is a densely populated small country.

Many people know others from other parts of the country. From Amsterdam on the North Sea to my town of Düsseldorf, Germany, on the Rhein River, it is less than a 3 hour train ride, the last 50 minutes of which is inside Germany.

[Sherman A1]

3. It is indeed as you describe

I have never had the opportunity to visit but hope to some day. She is in the area of Venlo more inland.

[DFW]

4. I have been to Venlo lots of times.

It's right across the border from my area of Germany. There is a local train that makes the run every hour. If you come to visit her, you are actually closer if you fly into Düsseldorf. A friend of mine lives near Arnhem, and he is equidistant from the airports of Düsseldorf and Amsterdam. When he flies somewhere, he frequently opts to fly out of Düsseldorf, since there are often more direct flights, the airport is less hectic, and he can leave his car at our house for free.

[Sherman A1]

5. From my map views I figured it was close to the German Border

again it's on my Someday list depending upon finances and the wife's health and such.

[Mr. Ected]

6. I lived in the Netherlands for 5 years, and my wife and I are planning to return in retirement

News like this strikes a nerve. I'm not naive, I realize that Holland isn't a panacea, but seldom is gun violence an issue there.

Is there anywhere in the world that could considered a safe haven any more?

[DFW]

7. This is extremely rare in the Netherlands

And I'm sure Pitcairn Island is safer, but it's probably not where you want to retire to.