Germany hostages: Gunman arrested after four held in Ulm Starbucks with ‘shots fired’ | World | News
Police officers flocked to a Starbucks branch in the city of Ulm, southern Germany, on the evening of January 26 after an armed man stormed the café and took four hostages.
The incident began at approximately 5.45pm GMT (6.45pm local time) in Münsterplatz, an area at the heart of the city.
Police were first alerted at approximately 5.50pm GMT (6.50pm local time), German daily Bild reported, and quickly cordoned off the area after arriving at the scene. Members of the special unit SEK also attended the incident.
The police haven’t yet commented on which type of weapon the man was carrying. The German newspaper reported the presence of a “long and a short gun”.
A spokesperson from the local police said as the incident was unravelling: “A police operation is currently underway in #Ulm. The northern part of #Münsterplatz is cordoned off. Avoid the area as much as possible.”
The hostage crisis lasted for more than an hour. At 7.20pm GMT (8.20pm local time), the gunman left the Starbucks with one of the hostages.
At that point, police officers intervened and managed to stop the suspect from escaping the area.
A police statement read: “At around 6.45pm there was a hostage-taking in a shop on Münsterplatz. At 8.20pm, the male and armed perpetrator left the building with a hostage and fled.
“The police used firearms. The perpetrator was arrested. The hostage remained unharmed.”
Neither the identity nor the intentions of the gunman have yet been revealed.
A significant police presence remains in the area, which is expected to remained cordoned off until officers will be done with their investigations.
Münsterplatz is lined with commercial buildings and the ultra-modern Town Hall, designed by New York architect Richard Meier.
The central square is also home to Ulm Minster, the parish church of the Evangelical Minster Community of Ulm. This Gothic building, completed in 1890, features the tallest church tower in the world.