Two policewomen stand behind police tape at Münsterplatz. Photo: Nico Pointner/dpa
Münsterplatz is located in the heart of Ulm. A hostage-taking directly at the highest church tower in the world triggers a huge police operation. Emergency services take down the perpetrator at gunpoint.
Ulm – The police ended a hostage situation at Ulm’s Münsterplatz with gunfire. The man took several people hostage in a store that evening. Public prosecutor Michael Bischofberger confirmed this on site. The man had left a shop with a hostage and wanted to escape.
Then the police shot him. The suspect was injured and is being treated in a hospital, the prosecutor said. The background was initially unclear. All hostages remained unharmed. The emergency services fired several shots. The shots were fired outside the building.
According to a statement, the hostage-taking began at around 6:45 p.m. At 8:20 p.m. an armed perpetrator left the building with a hostage and fled. According to the investigators’ knowledge, only the police fired. The officials had closed the central Münsterplatz in Ulm and the entrances there because of the operation. “Avoid the area as far as possible,” wrote the Presidium on the short message service X (formerly: Twitter). “We assume that the perpetrator was armed and posed a significant danger,” said the public prosecutor.
Police spokesman: No danger to the public
A police spokesman said there was no danger to the public. In order not to hinder the police officers in their work, people should avoid the area if possible. Police officers sent passers-by from Münsterplatz and cordoned off the area with red and white striped tape. The townhouse was evacuated. There was an event there that evening.
A passer-by reported to dpa that she heard three shots. “My heart was pumping.” At that moment she didn’t think anything at all and just ran away.
The area was empty and tensely quiet during the operation later in the evening. Next to the centuries-old church was an armored vehicle from the special operations team. Blue light flashed. Young people stood at the barriers, some filming on cell phones and talking quietly.
The perpetrator wanted to be shot by the SEK
According to dpa information, the hostage taker from Ulm Münsterplatz was seriously injured. The alleged perpetrator was said to have been in the Bundeswehr, according to security sources. He had several handguns and long guns with him. Security circles reported that the perpetrator stated during the hostage-taking that he wanted to be shot by the SEK.
Because of the use of firearms by the police, the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) is also involved in the investigation. This is common when the police shoot at people, explained a spokesman for the Ulm presidium. A special operations team was deployed. The spokesman was initially unable to say how many officers fired and how often.
Münsterplatz is located in the heart of the 130,000-inhabitant city on the Danube, on the border between Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The city’s landmark is the Ulm Minster on the square where the site is located. It has the highest church tower in the world at 161.53 meters.