German police have ended a hostage situation in the eastern city of Dresden after reports of shots being fired early Saturday morning.
Police had urged people to avoid an area in the city center and ordered Dresden’s Christmas market to remain closed while the operation was underway.
Shortly after noon, police announced on Twitter that the hostage situation was over. “Two outwardly uninjured people are in our care,” they said. It was not immediately known if a suspect had been taken into custody.
A police officer secures the area with a cordon in front of the mall on Saturday. Photo: Matthias Schumann/EPA
Radio Dresden reported that a gunman had tried to enter a building where the station is based, near the city’s main train station. According to Radio Dresden, the man fired several shots before fleeing.
Police separately confirmed that a 62-year-old woman was found dead in another part of Dresden on Saturday. His 40-year-old son was named as a suspect. Police declined to confirm whether there was a connection between the killing and the hostage situation.