A hostage situation at Apple Inc.’s flagship retail store in Amsterdam ended with the suspect taken to hospital with serious injuries after getting hit by a police car.
The suspect, a 27-year-old Amsterdam resident, contacted authorities during the incident and demanded 200 million euros ($227 million) in cryptocurrency and a safe exit from the Apple store at the bustling Leidseplein square, Amsterdam police officials said at a press conference early Wednesday.
Earlier Tuesday, several Twitter accounts showed footage of police amassed outside the Apple store, in addition to a man being held at gunpoint inside the store. Other videos showed the suspect running out of the building after the fleeing hostage, and a police car eventually hitting the gunman.
The suspect was in possession of both an automatic weapon and a handgun and fired at least four shots, according to the police.
About 70 people were taken to safety by the police during and after the hostage crisis, with four of them found hiding in a closet, the police said. The National Criminal Investigation Department has launched an investigation into the incident after the suspect was overpowered by the police.
A spokesperson for Cupertino, California-based Apple didn’t respond to requests for comment. A number of Apple retail stores around the world have faced smash-and-grab robberies in the past, targeted at pricey iPhones, iPads and Mac computers.
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