‘Gunman holds at least one person hostage’ at Apple Store in Amsterdam with police on the scene
- Clip shows man with what appears to be a gun pointed at his head inside store
- Amsterdam Police said there was ‘someone with a firearm in/near the shop’
- Employees and residents near square in city’s centre were advised to stay inside
A gunman is holding at least one person hostage at an Apple store in Amsterdam with police on the scene, according to reports.
Footage shows a man in a headlock with what appears to be a gun pointed at his head at the shop in Leidseplein – a square in the centre of the Dutch capital.
The hostage-taker can be seen waving around the weapon as he gestures towards customers inside a restaurant.
A separate clip shows around a dozen armed police officers running near the store in the city.
Local media reports suggested the assailant is an armed robber, but this has not yet been confirmed.
Footage shows a man in a headlock with what appears to be a gun pointed at his head at the shop in Leidseplein – a square in the centre of the Dutch capital
Amsterdam police said: ‘Due to a report at a shop on Leidseplein, police are now deployed there. More information will follow via this Twitter channel.’
In an update at around 5.55pm, the force wrote: ‘There is someone with a firearm in/near the shop in question, the police are on site with many (specialist) units to get the situation under control.’
Police confirmed at around 7pm that a ‘hostage situation’ is still ongoing.
Shop workers and residents near the square in the city’s centre were advised to stay inside and ‘not to come and look outside’.
A separate clip shows around a dozen armed police officers running near the store in the city
It added: ‘We are currently reluctant to provide information about the situation in the Apple Store on Leidseplein so as not to disrupt our investigation and efforts there.’
Dutch journalist Wouter Laumans earlier tweeted: ‘The Apple store Leidseplein hostage situation is still ongoing.
‘Police officer on the ribbon talks about “possible explosion hazard”.’