Hostage-taking in Dortmund-Höchsten: Man shoots at police officer and barricades himself with children
A 51-year-old shot at a police officer in Dortmund and subsequently barricaded himself in a flat – apparently with children as hostages. The SEK is deployed.
Shot fired at police in Dortmund – SEK secures flat in Höchsten
In Dortmund-Höchsten, a 51-year-old suspect shot at a police officer on the evening of the incident. A protective vest prevented worse; the officer was slightly injured according to current information, as police stated in a press release.
According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the man had previously caused a disturbance in a Dortmund restaurant, threatened guests and sprayed pepper spray. He subsequently fled by car. When emergency services attempted to stop the vehicle, he is said to have shot through the window and hit the police officer – as reported by the Bild newspaper.
Afterwards, the Dortmund man withdrew into a flat. According to a report by Bild, he is said to be holding two children hostage there. Whether it is his own flat and whether the children or a wife belong to him could not be confirmed by police at this time with certainty.
The operation was triggered by a woman who called the emergency number. The special operations unit (SEK) was on site in the evening; police stated that at no time had there been a danger to bystanders. Attempts are being made to make contact with the man. When asked by the dpa, police made no further statements regarding the possible hostage-taking.
Source: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung