Hostage situation in Berlin supermarket ends after nearly 12 hours; suspect apprehended

A tense hostage situation in a Berlin supermarket concluded Saturday morning after nearly twelve hours, with police successfully apprehending the suspect and freeing the hostage. The incident began late Friday night when a man took a female employee hostage inside a Rewe supermarket in the Marienfelde district.

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The perpetrator has been overwhelmed and the hostage freed.

Police intervention occurred at 9:20 AM on Saturday after negotiations failed to persuade the hostage-taker to surrender. "The perpetrator has been overwhelmed and the hostage freed," stated police spokesperson Florian Nath. The hostage was taken to a hospital for treatment and, according to the public prosecutor's office, sustained no significant injuries after what was described as a "ordeal."

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The woman is probably going through an ordeal.

The alleged 29-year-old hostage-taker, reportedly a Turkish national, was also taken to the hospital after sustaining minor injuries during the police apprehension. Authorities confirmed that no firearms were used; instead, a Taser was deployed to incapacitate the suspect. The motive behind the incident remains unclear, with police describing the suspect's demands as "impulsive" and not indicative of a meticulously planned operation.

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Fortunately, no one here has come to greater harm. There are no serious injuries that, according to the current status, have to be lamented.

Rewe, the supermarket chain, expressed its dismay over the events and offered sympathy to the affected employees and customers. The company declined to provide further details out of consideration for those involved. The suspect is expected to appear before a judge on Sunday. An employee who witnessed the event described being "shocked."

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We are glad that we were able to act professionally and purposefully against the suspect here quickly, because an intervention was absolutely necessary now.