Berlin hostage-taking: attack on Postbank branch, perpetrator entrenching himself | Regional

Berlin – Attack on a Postbank branch in Forum Köpenick on Tuesday afternoon! Around 5 pm the news: the aggressor was overwhelmed by the police and three hostages were released.

The perpetrator previously had two women and a man under his control. Bank employees, as announced by the police. The officials spoke of a “threatening situation.”

# Köpenick

– Berlin Police (@polizeiberlin) October 6, 2020

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There was diverse information about possible injuries during the liberation. According to police, no one was injured, but firefighters spoke on Twitter of an injured man who was taken to a clinic. It was not known whether he was an author, a hostage or someone else.

However, as a police spokesman put it, the SEK took advantage of a “favorable time” for access and arrested the man. No shots were fired.

That’s what the police did

The alarm was received by the police around 2 pm The bank robber took refuge with three employees in the branch of the large shopping center in the southeast of Berlin. The entire center was cleared and the surrounding streets were closed. More than 200 police officers were on duty.

According to a spokeswoman, attempts were first made to contact the perpetrator. That is the first attempt in such cases. The police had to find out what he wanted.

Typically, police psychologists try to persuade perpetrators to give up in such situations. That can go on for hours.

At the same time, the SEK is analyzing the situation and exploring the possibilities of unexpectedly entering the building with force and overpowering the perpetrator without endangering the hostages.

Flash or tear gas grenades, electric shock weapons, or snipers can also be used, as seen over and over again in corresponding police demonstrations. Apparently, that was not necessary in this case.

There were more than 200 officers on duty, he said. This also includes special forces. Police cordoned off the area around the center in the Köpenick district, as the spokeswoman said.

In addition to heavily armed police officers, there was also an armored vehicle at the scene.

Initially, only the Bahnhofstrasse between Stellingdamm / Am Bahndamm and Seelenbinderstrasse was closed in both directions. The closure was extended in the afternoon, VIZ Berlin reports: “Now the Bahnhofstrasse is already closed from Lindenstrasse to S-Bf Köpenick / Mahlsdorfer Strasse in both directions due to the police operation.”