BERLIN: An unidentified man on Monday took hostages several people inside the City Hall in Ingolstadt, southern Germany.
On the other hand, in the wake of the hostage-taking, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has cancelled her visit to the city where she was due to arrive on Monday afternoon for a campaign rally as national election in the country is set to be held on September 22.
The hostages were being held on the second floor of the city hall, police spokesman Guenther Beck said, adding that they were in contact with the hostage-taker.
According to reports, third mayor of Ingolstadt, Sepp Misslbeck, was among the hostages, but was later released by his captor. The gunman is still holding two hostages — a man and a woman.
Officers said the hostage-taker is armed and have evacuated the area around the building as a precautionary measure.
German paper Donaukurier writes that the perpetrator may be a 23-year-old man who was issued with a restraining order for stalking a 25-year-old-woman who works at the city hall.
