In Germany, a man took two individuals hostage and covered himself in gasoline inside a town hall. The incident occurred in Lengerich when the perpetrator entered the building and barricaded himself in an office with two staff members. He proceeded to pour a flammable liquid on himself and displayed a lighter.
Following the event on Tuesday afternoon, an evacuation was initiated, and a significant operation was launched, resulting in the closure of several streets. Specialized police units were able to overpower the suspect, a 47-year-old Romanian national, without harm to the hostages.
The suspect, who sustained minor injuries from the flammable substance, required medical attention. Polizei Münster confirmed the arrest of the suspect and stated that investigations into the incident are ongoing.
The local police force mentioned, “The 47-year-old suspect was apprehended after dousing himself with a suspected flammable liquid and holding two men hostage. The situation is under investigation by Münster police.”
To prevent potential risks, a large police presence was deployed, and the town hall along with adjacent streets were cordoned off. The suspect was subdued by special police units after covering himself in the flammable liquid and carrying a lighter. The suspect was taken into custody, and the employees were unharmed.
The road closures have been lifted, and both firefighters and police officers provided assistance during the incident.