German police storm Karlsruhe pharmacy, arrest suspected hostage-taker

German police sealed the area at the scene of a hostage situation at a pharmacy in the western German city of Karlsruhe, Germany, March 10, 2023. Police in Karlsruhe cordoned off an area in the central part of the city and urged residents to avoid the area. REUTERS/Tilman Blasshofer

KARLSRUHE, Germany (Reuters) -German police said on Friday it had arrested a male suspect after a special unit stormed a pharmacy in the southwestern city of Karlsruhe where multiple people had been held hostage for hours.

A number of explosions were heard when officers in tactical gear entered the pharmacy in the city centre after first arriving on the scene at around 4:30 p.m.