A 27-year-old Amsterdam resident armed with a handgun and an automatic rifle held one person prisoner near the city’s center. To free the captive, the man requested $226 million in cryptocurrencies and safe passage out of the building.
An Overview of the Attack
The offender, according to Dutch News, entered the Apple store on the Leidseplein Square at 5:30 p.m., clutching guns in both hands. There were roughly 70 people in the store when it blew up, and the attacker took one as a hostage. A 44-year-old British national who was a customer at the property is believed to be the victim.
To scare everyone else, the 27-year-old was aiming his gun at him while shooting at least four shots into the air.
The attack left four persons hiding in a broom cupboard on the ground floor due to the shock of the attack. “They were terrified for hours,” local cops claimed.
Law enforcement officers were quick to respond, arriving in the square at 6 p.m. When the criminal noticed the cops were approaching, he made contact and demanded $226 million in digital assets in exchange for the hostage’s release. According to eyewitnesses, he was also wearing bomb-themed clothing in addition to the weaponry.
“He threatened a hostage with a gun and threatened to blow himself up, so we took it very seriously,” a police spokesman said.
Finally, a happy ending Following the Drama
The gunman requested water about 10:30 p.m., which was supplied by a robot by police personnel. When he left the shop to get it, the captive took advantage of the situation and fled. The criminal began after him, but law enforcement officers moved immediately, striking the offender with a police car.
He was knocked to the ground and rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The gunman was able to communicate in the ambulance despite being treated for serious injuries.
After the incident, the hostage and the rest of the people inside the store were unharmed. Frank Pauw, the chief of police in Amsterdam, hailed the British man’s bravery:
