Dutch police have arrested a 37-year-old man suspected of shooting three people dead and wounding five others in a possible terror attack on a tram.

The Turkish-born suspect, Gökmen Tanis, was on the run since Monday morning, forcing vast parts of Utrecht city – including mosques, schools and businesses – into lockdown.

Although the local terror threat level was set to a maximum of five, as the day progressed increasing evidence on social and international media suggested the attack could have been personally motivated.

During the eight-hour manhunt, residents were advised to stay indoors and police were sent to secure mosques across the Netherlands.

In an unusual move, police had named and released photographs of Mr Tanis, a local resident born in Turkey, who is thought to have unleashed a volley of shots on a tram in a quiet, residential area before fleeing in a stolen, red Renault Clio.