Dramatic moment knifeman is wrestled to ground by police after threatening passers-by
POLICE officers fired a warning shot at a knifeman before wrestling him to the ground after threatening several passers-by.
Police fire warning shot at knifeman in Netherlands
The dramatic situation unfolded yesterday morning in Urk, a traditional fishing town in the heart of the Netherlands, when the man walked into a petrol station.
At this point he had no knife in his hand, and staff said they did not feel threatened.
But they added the man stood out because he seemed a bit confused.
Once outside, the man pulled out the knife and started shouting in Arabic, threatening anyone who passed him in the street.
The man pulled out a knife outside a petrol station and started shouting in Arabic
Amateur footage filmed from a nearby building shows the police officers arriving
Worried citizens quickly called the police who raced to the Avia petrol station.
Amateur footage filmed from a nearby building shows the police officers arriving in their patrol car as they carefully approach the man with their firearms drawn.
But the man refused to listen to the police's orders to put the knife down, and made stabbing motions towards the officers.
At one point he seemed to be about to get on the floor but then he suddenly got up again.
One officer fired a warning shot, and the police overpowered the man
One officer fired a warning shot, and the police overpowered the man - tackling him to the floor.
According to a police spokesman, the suspect appeared to be a “confused man”.
Police did not confirm reports the man shouted “Allahu akbar” and a spokesman only said: “He was singing in a strange language.”
It is not clear what caused the man to walk around with a knife threatening several people.