[ad_1]
Police on Tuesday searched in Cologne, as they investigate Monday's
attack and hostage-taking at the city's central train station, with the perpetrator already in custody and severely wounded following his arrest.
Authorities have also urged the public to upload footage and photographs taken during a hostage-taking situation in an online portal as they search for more clues into the attack.
What happened:
- On Monday afternoon, a man at Molotov cocktail party at McDonald's at Cologne's central train station, injuring three people, including one seriously. An eyewitness told DW that a young woman fled the restaurant with her legs on fire. The attack triggered the fast food restaurant's alarms and sprinkler system.
- Shortly after, the man took a female hostage at a nearby pharmacy. Police have been notified of the situation and deployed special commando units and a negotiation team to the scene. The man allegedly asked for the release of a Tunisian woman.
- After making contact with the man, who appeared to be wielding a pistol, police stormed the pharmacy. During the operation, the man sustained a serious gunshot wound. The female hostage was freed and received medical attention afterwards for light injuries.
- Police combed the railway station, a major travel hub for Germany and Western Europe, to search for any other improvised explosive devices (IEDs). During their search, they discovered the identity documents for a 55-year-old Syrian migrant with a German residence visa valid until 2021.
A highly-trained special police unit was deployed to secure the station and end the hostage-taking situation
Did the suspect survive?
The man received life-threatening wounds when special police commandos stormed the pharmacy. Medical staff successfully resuscitated him shortly after police ended the situation.
According to police on Tuesday, he is in stable condition and receiving medical attention at an intensive care unit.
Is the suspect a terrorist?
Authorities have yet to clarify the suspect's motive. "The investigation is considering all the possibilities," said deputy police chief Miriam Brauns.
Witnesses have reportedly described the allegiance to the "Islamic State" as a militant group while committing the attack. Purpose police have not independently verified.
Read more: 'Germany needs a national strategy' for radicalization prevention
What happens next?
Police said on Tuesday that the investigation was "running at full speed." Forensics specialists have taken samples from the train station in a bid to find out more about the attack and its perpetrator.
Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a day of hard day and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.
ls / msh (dpa, AFP, AP)
[ad_2]Source link
