Armed cops went to an Apple store where a shooter was holding personnel hostage and there were reports of shooting.
The incident occurred in an Apple store in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and was captured on video by a number of shocked bystanders.
A man looked to be holding a prisoner at gunpoint in one footage while cops quickly rushed around outside.
In another video, the gunman can be seen waving his weapon and kicking the window while holding the visibly distraught victim in a headlock.
Amsterdam police have now confirmed that the situation is over and that the hostage is safe.
“We can confirm that the hostage taker is from the Apple Store. He is lying on the street and with a robot he is being examined for explosives. Police officers control him from a distance with firearms. The hostage is safe,” the police said.
The suspect on the floor
According to reports, the hostage situation ended dramatically on Tuesday night, Feb. 22, when the suspect was hit by a police vehicle as he ran from the store in pursuit of a hostage.
The incident started at around 5:40 p.m. local time on Tuesday, February 22, when police received reports of gunshots at the store in the bustling Leidseplein district.
Some reports suggested the incident started as an armed robbery, with the suspect suddenly taking hostages when the cops showed up.
With police in position outside the store, all but one of the hostages managed to escape the siege in the hours that followed.
A photo from the scene shows the suspect — reported to be a 27-year-old man from outside the Netherlands — with his arm around the neck of the remaining hostage.
During the siege, the suspect contacted local news outlet AT5, demanding a cryptocurrency payment and safe passage from the store. He also sent selfies showing what appeared to be a bomb vest.
At around 10:45 p.m., some five hours after the incident started, the last hostage fled the store with the suspect in pursuit. Graphic footage captured by a witness shows a police car driving at high speed toward the man and knocking him to the ground. The hostage escaped unhurt.
With the suspect remaining down, police sent in a robot to find out if the bomb vest was genuine. After confirming it was fake, officers arrested the man before sending him to hospital.
It is believed no one else was hurt during the siege.