The hostage-taking in a shop in Berlin-Schoeneberg came to a bloody end early Tuesday morning. “I can confirm that the operation has ended,” said a police spokesman for the German Press Agency. The hostage-taker committed suicide the police said on Twitter. Special forces broke into the shop on Keithstrasse shortly after half past two and rescued the male hostage unharmed.
Shortly after their arrival, the emergency services were able to arrest another man “relatively early”, as the police spokesman said. Whether it was an accomplice of the hostage-taker is now the subject of the investigation. Both were armed.
According to a dpa photographer, the hostage, who had been in the man’s power for hours, was led to an ambulance. According to the police, a woman had already been rescued “from the danger area”. She was slightly injured.
SEK mission in Berlin-Schoeneberg: extensive closure for hours
Around 20.30 the police announced via Twitterthat there is a larger operation in which special forces are also involved. According to a local police spokesman, a hostage was inside the store. According to a dpa photographer, the business is an antiques shop. In addition to SEK officials, ambulances and paramedics are also available.
The area around the store was cordoned off for hours. A police spokesman said when asked that the closures affected the Kurfürstenstrasse/Kleiststrasse/Keithstrasse area. This is not far from Wittenbergplatz. The spokesman did not give any further details about the perpetrator or the hostage.
A second tweet from the police said later in the evening: “In order not to jeopardize the success of the mission, we will only provide you with further information once the mission has been completed. Please understand.” The police also wrote: “We urgently ask passers-by, residents and also press representatives not to publish any pictures of our emergency services and operational measures in Schöneberg during the ongoing operation. This can hinder the operation and endanger the people involved.”