Amsterdam Apple store: Man arrested over hostage standoff dies

A 27-year-old guy died in hospital from his injuries sustained after an hour-long hostage incident at an Apple shop in Amsterdam.

On Tuesday, an armed man stormed the business, holding one worker hostage and demanding €200 million (£165 million; $230 million) in cryptocurrencies.

After sprinting out of the building to pursue the captive, who had managed to flee, the suspect was intentionally hit by a police car.

An investigation is now underway.

The suspect has not been officially identified, although police have stated that he is an Amsterdam resident with a criminal background. They haven't come up with a reason yet.

They said that an investigation discovered explosives on the suspect's body, but that they were not ready to detonate.

Officers were dispatched to the Apple shop in the Leidseplein neighborhood of the Dutch capital at 17:40 local time (16:40 GMT) on Tuesday after the camouflage-clad man entered the facility. Several individuals escaped the business, while four others took refuge in a cabinet.

Images on Dutch media appeared to show a man flashing a gun in one hand while holding a person in the other. The gunman transmitted photos to the AT5 television station in Amsterdam that appeared to show bombs strapped to his body.

When water was provided to the store at the request of the gunman, the hostage was able to escape after nearly five hours.

Amsterdam police chief Frank Paauw said the hostage - a Bulgarian man, not a Briton as previously reported - had played a "heroic role by forcing a breakthrough" in the stand-off.

In a statement, Apple said it was "incredibly grateful and relieved that our employees and customers in Amsterdam are safe after this terrifying experience".