The alleged hostage-taker in a Karlsruhe pharmacy has been remanded in custody. As prosecutors and police announced, a judge issued an arrest warrant against the 20-year-old suspect on Saturday on charges of hostage-taking. The accused is said to have threatened three people with a loaded alarm gun on Friday evening and held them in an adjoining room of the pharmacy. Another eight people were therefore in the back of the business. Among them were, according to a spokesman, customers and employees of the pharmacy.
The investigators now assume that the man acted alone. The initial suspicion that the man could have had an accomplice, had not been confirmed: "The 20-Year-old acted alone," said a spokesman. When he was arrested, the officers secured a alarm pistol.
The police-known 20-Year-old had the eleven hostages for almost five hours in his power. Finally, the access was made by special forces. All hostages and the perpetrator remained physically unharmed. For further investigations, the Karlsruhe Criminal Investigation Department has set up a ten-member investigation team. For investigative reasons, the police have not yet provided any information on the hostage-taker's demands, such as ransom.
Of the eleven hostages, eight could have hidden relatively quickly in the back of the pharmacy. Three people were then still in the power of the suspect. Initially, the investigators had spoken of two people whom the man had ordered from the sales room into an adjoining room of the pharmacy and held there.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, 350 forces were deployed in the hostage-taking – in addition to police officers from the Karlsruhe Presidium, a negotiating group from the Mannheim Police Headquarters, an advisory group from the State Office of Criminal Investigation and special forces from the police headquarters.
"The people who were in the hands of the hostage-taker for hours, I wish that they will not suffer any psychological consequences and can quickly process what happened," said Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU), according to a spokeswoman. Strobl thanked the emergency services for their prudent efforts, which had prevented worse.
The pharmacy was initially not available by phone the day after the fact. However, according to observations by a dpa reporter, customers were able to pick up medication orders at a side door. The main entrance was closed with boards. Photos showed shattered glass on the floor of the store.
Suspect is known to the police
The act had begun on Friday around 16.30 clock. Police spokesman Dennis Krull said several emergency calls had been received from the pharmacy and only two minutes later the first police officers were at the scene. The officials then cordoned off the area widely.
The Karlsruhe Trade Fair cancelled two evening events at short notice due to the situation. An event with dog trainer Martin Rütter and a master concert were affected. Then the police tried to enter into negotiations with the hostage-taker. After almost five hours, around 21:10 p.m., special forces stormed the pharmacy and ended the hostage-taking.
The alleged perpetrator was overpowered and arrested. The German accused was no stranger to the police: He had attracted attention in the past, among other things, because of violent and property crimes, said Krull.
The hostages had received immediate offers of help after the rescue, and an emergency chaplain was also there. Krull emphasized: "One can only imagine in passing how the people who were in this exceptional situation for several hours feel."