A police operation is in full swing in the German capital after a man took a woman hostage at a supermarket.
According to authorities, police had made some contact with the man in the Rewe supermarket in the Marienfelde district in Berlin.
On Saturday morning, July 11, a police spokesperson told the German Press Agency, "The man is still in the supermarket with the woman; we remain on the scene."
Berlin's hostage situation
The update was shared at around 4:30 a.m. The supermarket is located on Hildburghauser Strasse, at the corner of Tirschenreuther Ring.
Police revealed that the operation began at about 10 p.m. on Friday, July 10, and motivate behind the hostage situation has not been made clear.
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Authorities also did not address reports that a manager at the supermarket had seen a weapon, or whether the woman or the hostage-taker had sustained any injuries.
Footage from the scene showed armed police officers in protective gears at the entrance to the supermarket.
Onlookers were also gathered, with several police and emergency vehicles on the street, which has been closed off.
Large area around supermarket sealed off
A large area around the supermarket has been cordoned off, according to a reporter on the scene.
The Special Operations Unit (SEK) has been positioned in front of the building, with several police vehicles, ambulances, and fire trucks on the scene.
Early this morning, officers set up a ladder against the building and looked inside the store, as a dpa reporter observed.
Behind the barrier, overlooking the market, several supermarket employees were waiting.
They were wrapped in thin cloth blankets provided by emergency responders, and as per dpa, they were inside the store at the time of the incident.
