Dortmund gunman surrenders after hours-long standoff with three children inside apartment

The shooting and standoff

A 51-year-old man shot a police officer in the Dortmund district of Höchsten on Tuesday evening and then fled into an apartment, where he barricaded himself with his three children. The officer was only lightly injured, as a protective vest prevented worse harm, according to police. The incident triggered a large-scale deployment of special operations forces (SEK) and a police negotiation team.

The preceding events

According to a report by the Bild newspaper, the man had previously caused a disturbance in a Dortmund restaurant, threatening guests and spraying pepper spray. He then fled in a car. When police attempted to stop him, he allegedly shot through the window and struck the officer. Police did not initially confirm this account. The 20 minutos report identified the man as a Serbian citizen and noted he had caused the disturbance with a stick and self-defense spray.

The overnight operation

A woman, reported by WAZ to be the suspect's wife, made an emergency call on Tuesday evening, prompting the police response. Upon arrival at a residential and commercial building in Höchsten, the 51-year-old fired at an officer and retreated into the apartment. Police described the situation as a "threat level" (Bedrohungslage) but did not confirm it as a hostage-taking. A negotiation team established contact with the man during the night.

Resolution

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, the man surrendered to police. A police spokesperson told the German Press Agency (dpa) that the children were doing well under the circumstances. The exact background of the incident remained unclear even hours after the operation began. Police stated that there was no danger to uninvolved persons at any time.

The man surrendered in the early morning. The children are doing well under the circumstances.