Hostage Situation Reported at Apple Store in Amsterdam [Updated]

Police officers are surrounding Apple Amsterdam in Leidseplein following reports that a gunman entered the store. A video shared on Twitter showed a man in a balaclava holding a gun while gripping a possible hostage, and Amsterdam police have confirmed that there is indeed a hostage situation.

apple amsterdam
People in surrounding buildings have been ordered to stay indoors, and the area around the store has been cordoned off. The attack happened at 5:40 p.m. local time, and Amsterdam police are not providing additional information to ensure the safety of all people involved.


More detail on what's going on can be sourced from local Amsterdam news sites such as Het Parool, De Telegraaf, NOS, and AT5, which are providing updates.

Update: Police have confirmed that several people that were being held hostage at the Amsterdam Apple Store have been freed. No other information has been shared. "Since the start of the hostage situation in the Apple Store on Leidseplein, several people have been able to leave the building. We do not want to share any information about the situation in and around the building at the moment."

Update 2: The remaining hostage is safe and the hostage taker is now in police custody.

Top Rated Comments

SD449 Avatar
28 months ago
Someone’s not happy about the lack of alternative payment options for dating apps
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aknabi Avatar
28 months ago

Glad I don't live in Amsterdam :(
Military experts and specialized enforcements have also arrived on scene. I sure hope everyone is safe out there!
I actually live a few minutes walk from the Apple Store... wow, didn't realize this was happening until I saw it here... I'll avoid being a douchy looky loo and heading there...

BTW Amsterdam is a very safe city... almost an order of magnitude more safe than any US city (and I've lived in SF, NYC, LA, PHX)... this is a once in a decade or more sort of thing! Terrible!
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
28 months ago
The gunman not going to get away with it. Hope everyone is safe out there.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darcyf Avatar
28 months ago
Terrifying situation for anyone to find themselves in. I hope no one gets hurt.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
28 months ago
Probably took a hostage after they told him that he can't actually get any money because I don't think they usually take cash (or people don't often use it anymore, especially for expensive items) and the devices are locked down so you can't resell them. An Apple Store is among the worst places you could rob.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iPhonNick Avatar
28 months ago
According to AT5: Everyone is safe, and the hostage is safe too. The hostage taker is being inspected by a robot and at gunpoint.
It sounds like the hostage situation has ended safely! Let's hope it is!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Delta Feature

Delta Game Emulator Now Available From App Store on iPhone

Wednesday April 17, 2024 9:58 am PDT by
Game emulator apps have come and gone since Apple announced App Store support for them on April 5, but now popular game emulator Delta from developer Riley Testut is available for download. Testut is known as the developer behind GBA4iOS, an open-source emulator that was available for a brief time more than a decade ago. GBA4iOS led to Delta, an emulator that has been available outside of...
iPhone 15 Pro Action Button Translate

All iPhone 16 Models to Feature Action Button, But Usefulness Debated

Tuesday April 16, 2024 6:54 am PDT by
Last September, Apple's iPhone 15 Pro models debuted with a new customizable Action button, offering faster access to a handful of functions, as well as the ability to assign Shortcuts. Apple is poised to include the feature on all upcoming iPhone 16 models, so we asked iPhone 15 Pro users what their experience has been with the additional button so far. The Action button replaces the switch ...
Provenance Emulator

PlayStation, GameCube, Wii, and SEGA Emulator for iPhone and Apple TV Coming to App Store

Friday April 19, 2024 8:29 am PDT by
The lead developer of the multi-emulator app Provenance has told iMore that his team is working towards releasing the app on the App Store, but he did not provide a timeframe. Provenance is a frontend for many existing emulators, and it would allow iPhone and Apple TV users to emulate games released for a wide variety of classic game consoles, including the original PlayStation, GameCube, Wii,...
maxresdefault

Hands-On With the New App Store Delta Game Emulator

Wednesday April 17, 2024 12:19 pm PDT by
A decade ago, developer Riley Testut released the GBA4iOS emulator for iOS, and since it was against the rules at the time, Apple put a stop to downloads. Emulators have been a violation of the App Store rules for years, but that changed on April 5 when Apple suddenly reversed course and said that it was allowing retro game emulators on the App Store. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel ...
iOS NES Emulator Bimmy Feature

NES Emulator for iPhone and iPad Now Available on App Store [Removed]

Tuesday April 16, 2024 11:33 am PDT by
The first approved Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) emulator for the iPhone and iPad was made available on the App Store today following Apple's rule change. The emulator is called Bimmy, and it was developed by Tom Salvo. On the App Store, Bimmy is described as a tool for testing and playing public domain/"homebrew" games created for the NES, but the app allows you to load ROMs for any...