A stabbing rampage in Richelieu, Commewijne district, Suriname, left 9 people dead, including 5 children, after a 43-year-old man attacked his own family and neighbors in the early hours of Dec. 28, 2025. The suspect, Dennis Aroma, later died by suicide while in police custody.
The attack unfolded after midnight Sunday along Hadji Iding Soemitaweg in Meerzorg, located approximately 15 miles from Paramaribo, the nation’s capital. Police were alerted at 00:23 following reports of a man attacking residents with a knife.
According to preliminary investigations, the rampage began after an argument with his estranged wife over the phone. The dispute centered on picking up the children.
The attack claimed the lives of 4 of Aroma’s own children and 5 neighbors. A sixth child suffered serious injuries, as did another adult. Both survivors were transported to a hospital in Paramaribo for treatment.
When police officers arrived at the scene, they encountered multiple victims across several properties. A 16-year-old girl had managed to escape to a neighbor’s house after witnessing the attack on her siblings.
A 72-year-old man also survived the assault with serious injuries. The elderly victim was among the neighbors who became targets during the rampage.
Police confronted Aroma near the scene, where he was armed with a knife and behaving aggressively. Officers repeatedly ordered him to surrender, but he resisted arrest and attempted to attack the responding officers. Police then shot Aroma in the leg to subdue him. He was taken to a local hospital under guard, where he received treatment for his injuries before being formally arrested and placed in pretrial detention.
Following medical treatment, authorities transferred Aroma to the Keizerstraat police station in Paramaribo. On Monday morning, police discovered him lifeless in his cell. Officials confirmed he had died by hanging in what they described as a suicide.
The Suriname Police Corps released a statement confirming the death but provided no additional details about the circumstances. An official investigation into how Aroma was able to take his own life while in custody is underway.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect had a history of mental illness. Neighbors reported that Aroma had been known in the community for long-standing psychological instability, and he had reportedly been admitted into psychiatric care at least once.
The nation’s Minister of Justice Harish Monorath and Social Affairs and Housing Minister Diana Pokie visited the scene of the murders on Sunday to assess the situation and offer support to the affected community.
“The impact is enormous, but as Surinamese, we are known for our solidarity. Let us hold on to that and support each other,” Pokie said during the visit.
Monorath indicated that the Public Prosecutor’s Office would lead the investigation into the murders, with a particular focus on whether Aroma had previously received psychiatric treatment. He also announced that the government of Suriname would pay for the funerals of all the victims.
President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons expressed shock and disbelief on her Facebook page following the tragedy. “At a time when family and friends should be holding on to and supporting each other, we are confronted with the harsh reality that there is another side to the world,” the president wrote.
In response to the devastating incident, the government declared Friday, January 2, 2026, a National Day of Mourning. The Ministry of Home Affairs announced that the national flag would be flown at half-staff at all public buildings and public facilities. Citizens and the business community were requested to observe the same protocol.
The tragedy sent shockwaves through the small South American nation, with residents sharing heartbreaking stories of the victims.
Suriname is a nation on the northern coast of South America with a population of approximately 600,000 people. The country has traditionally maintained relatively low levels of violent crime compared to other countries in South America.
However, violent crime has been increasing in recent years. The murder rate spiked in 2024 to 30 homicides per 100,000 residents. This represents a significant increase for the nation.
The incident in Richelieu represents one of the deadliest single attacks in Suriname’s recent history. The fact that it occurred within a family context, with a father killing his own children along with neighbors who attempted to intervene, has particularly traumatized the community and the nation as a whole.
The death of the suspect in police custody has added another layer of complexity to an already devastating case, raising questions about monitoring procedures for high-risk detainees and mental health protocols within the criminal justice system.
The investigation continues as authorities work to piece together the full sequence of events and determine what factors contributed to the tragedy. Officials are examining whether there were warning signs that might have been addressed earlier and whether the suspect’s history of mental illness was adequately documented and managed by healthcare and social services systems.
