Berlin hostage crisis: Woman freed after hourslong standoff
A man took a woman hostage in a supermarket, prompting an hourslong police operation to free the victim. The man reportedly "pulled out" a big
A man took a woman hostage in a supermarket, prompting an hourslong police operation to free the victim. The man reportedly "pulled out" a big knife before the supermarket closed on Friday evening. A man took a woman hostage at a supermarket in the German capital, Berlin, triggering a major police operation, officials said Saturday. Police had said they had made contact with the man inside the Rewe supermarket, in the Marienfelde district on the southern outskirts of Berlin. The suspect was later overwhelmed by police and the hostage was freed.
What are the details about the hostage situation in Berlin? Police had said the operation began at about 10 p.m. on Friday and that a motive was not immediately clear. Police also had not commented on reports that a manager at the supermarket had seen a weapon, or whether the woman or the hostage-taker had sustained any injuries. A 22-year-old male employee of the Rewe supermarket told dpa that a man brandished a "very big" knife shortly before the market closed on Friday evening. The male employee ran out of the supermarket with a colleague and contacted the police.
The employee said the female hostage also worked at the supermarket, and "was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time." Snipers were deployed as part of the police operation Image: Carsten Koall/dpa/picture alliance Police did not confirm the man's statement. Footage posted to social media showed armed police officers in protective gear at the entrance to the supermarket. Onlookers gathered nearby, and several police and emergency vehicles were visible on the street, which had been cordoned off. One of the videos shows a police officer climbing a ladder leaning against the building's wall and looking inside the supermarket.
Streets were cordoned off around the scene Image: Carsten Koall/dpa/picture alliance Edited by: Karl Sexton Don't let the algorithm hide the news. If you rely on our team for trusted reporting, please take a moment to select us as your Preferred Source on Google by clicking here and hitting the "star" or "preferred" button, so you'll always see our verified news first.
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