In the case of the hostage-taking in Dresden, according to the police, the public prosecutor's office is now taking over the investigation. Among other things, it must be clarified how the perpetrator came into possession of a sharp weapon. On Saturday morning, a 40-year-old man kept the police and rescue workers busy for hours. Police believe he was mentally ill. He died after being attacked by special police forces.

The police dealt with three crime scenes. In the morning, the 40-year-old is said to have killed his 62-year-old mother in the Prohlis district of Dresden. He then tried to break into the city center at the radio station Radio Dresden by force of arms and fired shots. When he did this he had a friend's 9-year-old child with him. He later holed up with the child and a 38-year-old employee in an office in the Altmarkt-Galerie shopping center.

According to police, he dialed 911 from that office. Officials were said to be able to keep in touch with him at all times. The Dresden police department then called in special forces from the Saxony State Criminal Police Office and cordoned off the area of ​​the Altmarkt-Galerie. "In the further course, the emergency services heard gunshots from the office and a prepared emergency access took place. The officials had to open a door by force," it said. Officials would have used the firearm, the 40-year-old had a sharp pistol with him. The hostages were unharmed.

"Further information is currently not possible. The processing of the operation and the investigations will take some time," said the police. A total of around 300 officers were deployed.