A man fortifies himself and mobilizes large-scale operations in Hamburg
In the Hamburg district of Lurup, the police were called to a suspected hostage situation in the evening. A man is reported to have barricaded himself in a flat with another person. Many aspects of the case are still unclear.
An apparently mentally unstable man triggered a large-scale police operation in the Hamburg district of Lurup. The man was reportedly overpowered by special forces and taken into custody in the evening, according to a police spokesperson. The man was said to be in a "psychotic episode" and had barricaded himself in a second-floor apartment in Boberstraße. No one was injured during the operation.
The first reports came in to the police around 8:25 pm. Initially, it was unclear whether the incident involved a hostage situation and whether the man was armed. According to "Bild" reports, the man allegedly threatened the police with grenades. The Hamburg "Mopo" reported that he had barricaded himself in with his mother. According to the newspaper, she was reportedly unharmed but in shock.
It is unclear whether the man actually took the woman hostage. The police did not confirm reports of a hostage situation to NDR. The police had cordoned off the area around the apartment during the operation and asked residents to stay away from windows. A sniper was posted on a balcony in a neighboring building. Late in the evening, investigators were still on site securing evidence.
The situation was then reported to the International Police Liaison Unit due to the man's claims of having foreign ties. Despite the escalation, the Hamburg police managed to negotiate peacefully, resolving the standoff without any further incidents.
Given the international dimension of the case, the Houston Police Department sent a team of specialists to Hamburg to assist their German counterparts in the investigation.
