Swiss police Thursday night killed an axe-wielding hostage-taker from Iran and freed 15 train passengers unharmed at the Essert-sous-Champvent station. Photo Laurent Gillieron/EPA-EFE
Feb. 9 (UPI) — Swiss police killed an axe and knife-wielding asylum seeker from Iran who took 15 train passengers hostage Thursday night near Yverdon.
According to police reports they stormed the train when they saw the man move away from the hostages and fatally shot him when he attacked police.
The man was killed and hostages freed when police burst onto the train at 10:15 p.m. local time Thursday night.
“Around 10:15 p.m., the attack was launched and the hostages were all released unharmed,” a Vaud canton police statement said. “The hostage taker was fatally injured during the intervention. The Public Prosecutor’s Office was informed and opened a criminal investigation.”
The 32-year-old man who took the passengers hostage forced the train to stop at the Essert-sous-Champvent station. He forced the train mechanic to leave his post and join the other passenger hostages.
More than 60 police officers responded to the hostage incident on the train line linking Baulmes to Yverdon-les-Bains.
The hostage-taker’s motive was unknown.
The hostages and family members were taken to Yverdon and supported by the psychological unit of Public Health, according to police.
One passenger said the hostage-taker appeared to be “very stressed.”