A hostage stand-off inside an Apple store in Amsterdam, Netherlands ended on Tuesday night after police ran over the gunman as he ran from the store chasing one of the hostages. The hostages were safe, police said. Footage shows the alleged gunman chasing a fleeing hostage before he is suddenly hit by a car in Leidseplein - a square in the center of the Dutch capital.
The drama unfolded after a man with a firearm held several people hostage inside and Apple store in central Amsterdam. The entire stand-off continued for over five hours till the gunman was run over by police, while the hostages were freed.
Horrifying Moment
Police said that they managed to overpower the hostage taker by running over him as he ran out of the store. Chilling video of the incident shows a police vehicle trying to intercept the hostage taker as he runs out of the Apple store chasing one of the hostages who fled. He is then hit by the vehicle and can be seen collapsing on the ground.
"We can confirm that the hostage taker is out of the Apple Store," police said in a tweet.
"He is lying on the street and a robot is checking him for explosives. Armed police officers have him under control from a distance. The hostage is safe." Police then said that the man did not have explosives and that medical staff were attending to him. There was no word on his condition.
Earlier in the video, a man was seen inside the shop in a headlock with what appeared to be a gun pointing at his head. The hostage-taker was spotted waving his firearm about and gesturing at patrons in a restaurant across the street.
The drama started at around 5:40 pm in the evening, leading several people in the building to flee. Many initially thought it to be an incident of an armed robbery but later it was reported that people inside the store have been taken as hostages.
The square is surrounded by pubs and restaurants and is near to one of the main retail avenues in the Dutch capital. Police said dozens of people managed to leave the building during the stand-off but declined to give more details about the situation in the popular store.
Scary Situation
While the gunman held several people captive, a helicopter could be heard flying overhead as police lines were built up to keep people away from the store. "For the safety of the people involved and our deployment," the police asked that no photographs or livestreams of the hostage crisis be published or broadcast.
Police said at 7pm that a "hostage situation" is ongoing, before confirming around an hour later that "several people have been able to leave." However, they refrained from elaborating much claiming that it will disrupt investigation.
One witness claimed they had to "run for their life" after hearing gunshots. He told Dutch broadcaster AT5: "I was standing on the zebra crossing opposite the Apple store. An employee walked out in panic with a walkie-talkie, yelling.
"At that moment the penny hadn't dropped yet and I was about to cross the zebra crossing opposite the entrance to the Apple store. And that's when I heard gunshots inside."
Police is yet to give more details on the incident. Also, Apple hasn't said anything about the incident.
