A man allegedly took a woman hostage at a supermarket in the German capital Berlin, sparking a major police operation, authorities said Saturday.
Police said the operation began around 10pm on Friday, when officers were called to the Rewe supermarket in the Marienfeld district on the southern outskirts of Berlin.
The suspect was later captured by police and the hostage was released after an 11-hour standoff.
What do we know about the hostage situation in Berlin?
A 22-year-old male employee of the supermarket told German news agency DPA that a man brandished a “very large” knife shortly before the market closed on Friday evening.
The male employee ran out of the supermarket with a co-worker and contacted the police.
The employee said the female hostage also worked at the supermarket, and was “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Police, who have not yet disclosed a motive, have not confirmed reports that a manager at the supermarket saw a weapon or whether the woman or the hostage-taker were injured.
Footage posted on social media showed armed police officers in protective gear at the entrance of the supermarket.
Onlookers gathered nearby, and several police and emergency vehicles were visible on the street, which was cordoned off.
A video shows a police officer climbing a ladder along the wall of the building and looking inside the supermarket.
Edited by: Carl Sexton
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