Berlin: Hostage situation in supermarket ends after 11 hours
Special police units have freed a woman who was held hostage for over 11 hours in a supermarket in Berlin. The perpetrator was slightly injured during the operation.
Berlin: Hostage situation in supermarket ends after 11 hours
A cashier at a supermarket in the south of Berlin was held hostage for over eleven hours before she could be freed by special police units.
The incident began when a man was at the checkout of the store. After being refused permission to place his items on the conveyor belt, he suddenly pulled a knife from his pocket and pointed it at the employee. An eyewitness stated that the woman had found herself "in the wrong place at the wrong time".
Throughout the night, a negotiation team remained in contact with the hostage-taker and attempted to persuade him to surrender. His demands were not made public. According to German newspaper Bild, the perpetrator and victim did not know each other.
The rescue operation was carried out by SEK units. Police officers stormed the store, incapacitated the perpetrator with a taser, and freed the hostage. The woman was taken to hospital. According to a police spokesperson, she is in good health, but is suffering from shock. The perpetrator was slightly injured during the operation.
Source: Naftemporiki
Source: Naftemporiki