Police evacuate Dresden shopping mall over hostage situation

Police have evacuated a shopping mall and the surrounding area in the eastern German city of Dresden due to a suspected hostage situation.

A statement on the police's website read: "The Dresden Police Department is currently carrying out an operation in downtown Dresden. The background is the suspicion of a hostage situation."

German newspaper Bild reported that an armed man had killed a woman, then stormed a local radio station and fired shots before fleeing into a shopping mall where he took several hostages, according to Sky News.

On its website, Radio Dresden said that earlier a man that an armed man had entered the Ammonhof office building, where the radio station is located, around 8.30 am local time (07.30 GMT) and that shots had been fired.

Police are yet to confirm these details but urged citizens to avoid the city centre. The famous Striezelmarkt Christmas market will also remain closed for the time being.

The Radio's website says that the hostage-taking is in connection with the death of a 62-year-old woman in an apartment building in Prohlis, Dresden.