Police Free Hostage And Capture Suspect After Cologne Train Station Incident

The station was closed off to all passengers and trains.
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The train station was evacuated
Reuters

German police have apprehended a suspected hostage-taker and freed a woman who has “sustained light injuries” after an incident at Cologne’s central station. 

Police also said the suspect was being resuscitated, after being seriously injured during the operation at lunchtime on Monday. 

Police urged the public to stay away from the train station and the surrounding area, and said they had no information on motives or whether the incident was terror related. 

A woman was held at a pharmacy, with local news outlets reporting that she is a “teenager”. 

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Crowds of travellers moved outside
Thilo Schmuelgen / Reuters

Dana Regev, a reporter on the scene, tweeted that she had heard police crisis units trying to negotiate with the suspect. 

She also shared a video of authorities appearing to arrive on the scene:

German magazine Focus had said that several shots were fired nearby, but police could not confirm these reports. 

The station remains closed and photos from the scene showed travellers gathering outside, near the city’s cathedral.