Near Hanover - Massive police operation: Man threatens employees at Lehrte job center with toy gun
Armed with a toy gun, a man marched into the Lehrte job center in the Hanover region and triggered a massive police operation. "The suspect threatened employees and frightened customers," said police spokesman Dennis Diroll at the scene on Thursday.
He did not give any details about the man's identity. The man was arrested fairly quickly and is said to have had no accomplices, as there were no other suspects. According to the police, no one was injured. The background to the crime is still being investigated.
#H3011 Unsere Einsatzkräfte sind vor Ort in #Lehrte. Ein Tatverdächtiger konnte festgenommen werden. Bislang hat die Polizei keine Erkenntnisse zu Personen, die zu Schaden gekommen sind. Derzeit ist unklar, ob es weitere Tatbeteiligte gibt.
— Polizei Hannover (@Polizei_H) November 30, 2023
The large-scale operation in the area of the job center on Burgdorfer Straße in the city center began at 10:15 am. Initial reports of a possible hostage situation were not confirmed. The area around the building in the city center was cordoned off for cars and buses, and people were advised to avoid the area, according to a press release.
Counselors on duty for those affected
After the man's arrest, officers took people out of the center, some were escorted to the city library nearby, a dpa reporter observed. The investigation was still ongoing, witnesses were questioned further in the afternoon. Counselors were also on duty for those affected. "Fortunately, no people were harmed and there were no other suspects", said a police spokeswoman in Hanover.
The police had combed the extensive building, which also houses a savings bank, with a massive contingent of heavily armed forces. A special task force (SEK) was not deployed, according to reports. Machine guns, helmets and protective vests were part of the officers' standard equipment due to the latent threat of terrorism, the police confirmed on site. Half a dozen police cars were parked in front of the center at times. It should be ruled out that there were other people involved.
The cordons at the scene in the area of the job center were lifted at midday. According to the authorities, security was restored. The police ended the large-scale operation and withdrew their forces in the afternoon.
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The incident at the Lehrte employment office in Hanover, where a man threatened employees with a toy gun, led to a person being taught a lesson about appropriate behavior in such settings. Following the arrest, counseling services were provided at the Hanover employment office to help those affected cope with the traumatic situation.
Source: www.stern.de
