Update: In the aftermath of a hostage situation at an Apple Store in Amsterdam, details are emerging about the alleged gunman and a man police are framing as a hero. The AP cites Police Chief Frank Paauw as describing the suspect as an armed 27-year-old who demanded he be paid nearly $230 million in cryptocurrencies in order to release his hostages. Except one hostage tried to flee, and police say the gunman chased after him, at which point police ran over the suspect with a car; he's currently hospitalized. "The hostage played a sort of hero's role by, in that split second that he had, forcing a breakthrough in this situation," Paauw said. "Otherwise it could have been a very long and unpleasant night." Our story from Tuesday follows:
Police in Amsterdam say a hostage is safe after an hours-long standoff at the city's flagship Apple store. The suspect was arrested Tuesday night after he ran from the store and police drove into him. "We managed to end the situation by hitting the hostage taker with a car when he ran outside," police said in a tweet, per Reuters. After the man was checked for explosives, he was treated by medical staff but there was no word on his condition, the AP reports.
The hostage incident in the Dutch city's busy Leidseplein area began Tuesday afternoon when police were called to an armed robbery, the BBC reports. Dozens of officers cordoned off Leidseplein Square and people in the area were urged to stop sharing photos and videos of the scene on social media while the police operation was underway. Images seen by Reuters showed an armed man in a camouflage outfit holding at least one person hostage, though dozens of other people were able to leave the store during the standoff. (More Amsterdam stories.)
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