Hours after an armed man took hostages inside a local nightclub named Petticoat in the eastern town of Ede in The Netherlands, media reports suggest that the hostage crisis has ended. The crisis ended peacefully after the suspect was arrested by the police.
According to the Jerusalem Post, two men, one of them wearing a balaclava mask, exited a nightclub in the eastern Dutch town of Ede where several people had been taken hostage. News agency ANP reported that one was put in handcuffs by police.
“The last hostage has just been released. One person has been arrested,” a police statement said, adding, “We cannot share more information at this time.”
According to local media, four people were taken hostage after an armed man entered Café Petticoat, in Ede, early on Saturday morning (30th March 2024). The accused had threatened to blow himself up, claiming that he was carrying a bag full of explosives. Reports noted that the accused had weapons and explosives. Police said that the suspect is previously known to them, and he had threatened the hostages with knives.
The motive of the crime is not known yet, but police have ruled out terrorism angle.
While the armed police quickly evacuated the area, they said there was “no indication of a terrorist motive”. However, as a precautionary measure, residents in about 150 homes around the area were evacuated and the town centre was closed down. Additionally, trains to and from Ede were cancelled, railway operator NS said on its website.
A reporter for broadcaster NOS said that a remote-controlled robot was also at the scene apart from the anti-explosive units and police in protective gear.
⚡️ Hostage-taking in the Netherlands
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 30, 2024
In the town of Ede, an unidentified man has taken five hostages in a cafe and has been holding them for five hours.
The masked man claims to have a bag full of bombs. Police have deployed bomb squads, and residents of nearby houses have… pic.twitter.com/V1XsZtyrhv
Before the accused was apprehended, the owner of the cafe told de Telegraaf newspaper that all the hostages were employees. As the development unfolded, three employees were seen by reporters fleeing the area with their hands above their heads.
#BREAKING UPDATE: Three hostages held in a cafe in the Dutch town of Ede have been released, but the incident is not over, police say.#Netherlands #Ede https://t.co/YuyXIb8DYE pic.twitter.com/UlGfDCvD6G
— Genius Bot X (@GeniusBotX) March 30, 2024
After some time, the fourth employee also emerged out, ending the hostage crisis.
