A hostage-taking was underway Tuesday evening in Amsterdam in an Apple Store in which an armed man entered Tuesday evening in one of the main squares of the city, police said, adding that several people had been released. “Since the beginning of the hostage situation in the Apple Store in Leidseplein, several people have been able to leave the store”the police said on Twitter, without specifying the number of people.
Sinds het begin van de gijzeling in de Apple Store aan het Leidseplein hebben meerdere mensen het pand kunnen verlaten. Over de situatie in en rond het pand op dit moment willen we vooralsnog geen informatie delen.
— Politie Eenheid Amsterdam (@POL_Amsterdam) February 22, 2022
The police, who asked Internet users to exercise restraint in posting images, did not release the number of people who were still in the building of the shop. “We do not want to share information about the situation in and around the building at this time”she said.
A report of an armed robbery in the late afternoon
The police operation was still ongoing after several people were released, a spokesperson told Dutch news agency ANP. The police said they were reluctant to release more information to preserve the safety of those involved.
The police are on site with many specialized units “to control the situation”, police said. She had received a report of an armed robbery at 5:40 p.m. This alleged robbery then turned into a hostage situation.