A man took a woman hostage at a Rewe supermarket in the Marienfelde district of Berlin, prompting a major police operation, officials said Saturday.

The operation began around 10 p.m. on Friday. Police made contact with the suspect and later overpowered him, freeing the hostage.

A 22-year-old male employee of the supermarket told dpa that a man brandished a "very big" knife shortly before the market closed on Friday evening. The employee ran out with a colleague and contacted police.

The employee said the female hostage also worked at the supermarket and "was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time." Police did not confirm this statement.

Social media footage showed armed police officers in protective gear at the supermarket entrance. Onlookers gathered nearby, and the street was cordoned off.

Police have not disclosed a motive or reported any injuries.

Source: www.dw.com