Police vehicles are seen near an Apple store in central Amsterdam during a hostage incident in the store, in Amsterdam, Netherlands February 22, 2022.
Police vehicles are seen near an Apple store in central Amsterdam during a hostage incident in the store, in Amsterdam, Netherlands February 22, 2022. Reuters / PIROSCHKA VAN DE WOUW

A man who was arrested in Amsterdam after holding a person hostage at gunpoint for several hours in an Apple flagship store on Tuesday night had explosives on his body, Amsterdam police said on Wednesday.

"We are investigating the possible motives of the hostage taker and the explosives he carried on his body", police said in a statement. "Investigation has shown that the explosives were not ready to detonate."

The hours-long standoff ended dramatically late on Tuesday after Amsterdam police knocked down the heavily armed man with a speeding car on the central Leidseplein square in front of the store.

The suspected hostage taker, a 27-year-old man from Amsterdam, carried a pistol and an automatic rifle, with which he fired at least four shots when police arrived at the square around 6 p.m. (1700 GMT), Amsterdam police chief Frank Pauw told a news conference early on Wednesday.

The man was arrested after he ran out of the building shortly after 10:30 p.m., to chase his hostage who had managed to escape. The hostage taker was then promptly knocked down by a car driven by a policeman, leaving him with serious injuries.

The man, who had a criminal record, had contacted the police during the hostage-taking episode to demand a ransom of 200 million euros ($226 million) in crypto currencies and safe passage out of the building, Pauw said.

"He threatened a hostage with a gun and threatened to blow himself up, so we took it very seriously", Amsterdam newspaper Parool quoted the police chief as saying.

The hostage, described by police as a Bulgarian man, fled from the building when a police robot delivered water to the door of the store, at the request of the hostage taker. The hostage taker then chased after the man and was hit by the car.

"The hostage played a heroic role by forcing a breakthrough," Pauw said. "Otherwise, this could have been a long night."

Police said on Wednesday the arrested man was the only suspect in the incident.

During the evening, about 70 people were able to leave the store while the hostage situation was ongoing. There were no reports of any other injuries.

"We are so incredibly grateful and relieved that our employees and customers in Amsterdam are safe after this terrifying experience," Apple said in a statement, thanking Dutch police for "exceptional work."