Hamburg airport hostage stand-off ends after 18 hours with suspect arrested
- The armed suspect drove through a gate and on to the airport apron with his 4-year-old daughter on Saturday, prompting an evacuation
- Hamburg police said the suspect, a Turkish citizen, reportedly took his daughter by force from the mother in a battle over custody
The hostage situation at Hamburg Airport ended Sunday afternoon, around 18 hours after a man drove his vehicle through the gates of the airport with his 4-year-old daughter as a passenger, authorities said. The man was arrested and the girl is safe.
Hamburg police said that man had left the car with his daughter, who did not appear to be harmed, and he was “arrested by the emergency services without resistance.” Authorities said the man’s ex-wife had previously contacted them about a child abduction.
The airport in the northern German city had been closed to passengers and flights were cancelled since Saturday night when the man, who was armed, broke through an airport gate with his vehicle and fired twice into the air with a weapon, according to German news agency dpa. The man drove the vehicle just outside a terminal building and parked it under a plane.
Police said the 35-year-old man, a Turkish citizen, had his daughter inside the car after reportedly taking her by force from the mother in a battle over custody.
A psychologist had been negotiating with the man for several hours. No one was injured during the stand-off after all passengers had evacuated the airport, police said.
The mother of the girl also arrived at the airport earlier on Sunday.