Nine people, including five children, stabbed to death

Nine people, including five children, were stabbed to death on the outskirts of Suriname’s capital Paramaribo, police said.

Another adult and a child were taken to hospital after being seriously injured in the attack, city police said in a statement.

Police were called to an address on a road outside the capital on Saturday evening, where they arrested a suspect after shooting him in the leg. He was also taken to hospital for treatment and is under police guard.

Local media suggested the man suffered from mental health issues, citing officials and residents, while the South American nation’s president said his family and neighbors were among the victims.

“At a time when family and friends should be sticking together and supporting each other, we are faced with the harsh reality that there is another side to the world,” Jennifer Geerlings-Simons said in a statement.

“I wish all the bereaved lots of strength, courage and comfort during this incredibly difficult time.”

Police said further details about the circumstances of the incident would follow.

Suriname is among the countries with the lowest rates of stabbing deaths, making incidents like this relatively rare.

However, the country has experienced several coups and civil war since gaining independence from the Netherlands in 1975.