Hero pin for hostage Apple Store Amsterdam and four others
The Bulgarian man died in February and was held hostage for hours in the Apple Store in Amsterdam, along with four others, received a hero pin from Mayor Halsema. The mayor announced this on Instagram†
The hostage was held at gunpoint in the store for a long time, the four others were hidden in a closet all the while. “I thanked all Amsterdammers for their courage and decisiveness,” Halsema writes on Instagram. Halsema says that “the whole country sympathized with the hostages”.
They took “a split second” to run when he had to collect the water the hostage-taker had requested in front of the store door. The 27-year-old suspect from Amsterdam ran after him and was then hit by the police. He died of his injuries a day later.
“His heroism is brave, even if he doesn’t see himself as held,” she writes. The other four, who, like the Bulgarian, wish to remain anonymous, were also brave, according to Halsema. “Despite the situation, we are able to pass on important information about the hostage situation to the police.”
200 million in crypto coins
During the hours-long hostage-taking on February 22, the hostage-taker fired at the police. He also threatened to blow himself up. He demanded 200 million euros worth of crypto coins. During the hostage situation, he sent pictures to the local channel AT5. One of the photos was of him and the hostage.
About 70 people who approached the building were taken to safety by the police during and after the hostage crisis.
This is what happened during the hostage situation in Amsterdam: