Last Thursday evening, Swiss police shot a man armed with an ax and a knife who was holding 15 passengers hostage on a local train. The kidnapper was reportedly a 32-year-old Iranian asylum seeker. He approached the moving vehicle near Yverdon, forcing the driver to stop and join the passengers in the vehicle.
Security operation to free the hostages
According to the police, after the man attacked him, the security team had to storm the train and open fire as a way to protect themselves and the victims. The kidnapper ended up being beaten and died. The circumstances that led to the fatal outcome remain unclear. All people who were taken hostage were released unharmed.
The alarming situation was reported by the victims themselves, and more than 60 police officers, including a special unit from Geneva, were sent to the scene. The police spent several hours trying to negotiate with the kidnapper in English and Persian, but to no avail.
The attack is surprising by its rarity
As they noticed the kidnapper walking away from the hostages, police officers carried out the attack using stun grenades. One passenger said the perpetrator appeared “very nervous.”
It is worth noting that this type of incident is rare in Switzerland, although there are cases of kidnapping in banks and companies. The last case of this kind recorded in the country occurred in January 2022, when employees of a watchmaking company were taken hostage and forced to open a safe. The Swiss health service already provides psychological support to victims and their families.
Little is known about the kidnapper, except that he is from Iran and was placed in a center for asylum seekers in Neuchâtel. The motive behind this action has not yet been clarified.
