Gunman Releases Children After German Hostage Drama

A 16-year-old gunman released four child hostages unharmed and surrendered to the police after a six-hour standoff at a school in south-west Germany last night. Police said he had demanded a ransom of 1m euros (£626,000).

About 100 students were in the Friedensschule, or Peace school, in Waiblingen, east of Stuttgart, for lessons when the gunman walked into a second-floor computer room at 2.30pm. Minutes later, he stood up and pulled out a handgun.

After making the students close the curtains in the room, he released all but a teacher and four students.

"He said, 'If you don't keep quiet something will happen,'" said one of the freed hostages.

Later, the youth called police by mobile phone, demanding a ransom and getaway car. The school was cleared by police commandos and snipers were stationed near the room where the hostages were held.

After about five hours he released two hostages, before surrendering an hour later.

The case has disturbing echoes of the assault on a school in the eastern German town of Erfurt earlier this year when an expelled student went on a rampage, killing 13 teachers, two students and a policeman before turning the gun on himself. According to one report last night, the Waiblingen gunman was dressed from head to foot in black like the 19-year-old Erfurt killer, Robert Steinhaüser.

After the Erfurt killings, the government tightened up the country's gun control laws.

A police spokesman, Uwe Bieler, said a psychologist had been on hand to help with the negotiations.