German Police Storm Refugee Centre After Reports Of Armed Man

Pictures and video showed the emergency response.
German police stormed a refugee centre after reports an armed man had taken a hostage
German police stormed a refugee centre after reports an armed man had taken a hostage
Sean Gallup via Getty Images

German police launched a major operation after an armed man brandished a knife in a refugee centre.

Authorities in Hamburg were scrambled to the incident in the suburb of Hammerbrook after reports the man was holding a pregnant woman hostage.

Hamburger Abendblatt reported the incident began after a row in the accommodation centre.

The armed man is said to have barricaded himself into a room and may have had a hostage for a short time.

Police said the man may have tried to injure himself and an ambulance was called.

Initial reports said the man had a gun, though journalists on the scene described him as “knife man”.

Pictures and video showed the emergency response.

#Hamburg - Messer-Mann verschanzt sich in Flüchtlingsunterkunft in Hammerbrook. Polizei-Einsatz! VIDEO pic.twitter.com/69NX12Ulpi

— Thomas Knoop (@Thomas_BILDde) February 28, 2017

#Hamburg - Messer-Mann in Zimmer. Elitepolizisten vom MEK bei der Flüchtlingsunterkunft im Einsatz! #Hammerbrook pic.twitter.com/0u6Dlaq02D

— Thomas Knoop (@Thomas_BILDde) February 28, 2017

#Hamburg - Messer-Mann in Flüchtlingsunterkunft. Immer mehr Polizei rückt an! #Hammerbrook pic.twitter.com/2YD79joyhn

— Thomas Knoop (@Thomas_BILDde) February 28, 2017

AKTUELL #Hamburg - Zugriff erfolgt. Messer-Mann überwältigt. Elitepolizisten vom MEK verlassen Flüchtlingsunterkunft. VIDEO pic.twitter.com/SmXAECypXv

— Thomas Knoop (@Thomas_BILDde) February 28, 2017

The situation appeared to be resolved when the man was taken to hospital.

The incident does not appear to involve persons from outside the refugee community, though this was not immediately confirmed.

Germany’s interior ministry said this week there had been 3,500 attacks on refugees and asylum hostels last year.

Asylum applications in Germany over the past two years have totalled 880,000.

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