Switzerland: The gunman who was holding hostages on the train was killed by police gunfire

Swiss police said that a 32-year-old Iranian man, who had sought asylum in Switzerland, held 15 hostages on a train between Boulemy and Verdun-les-Bains for about four hours, armed with an ax and a knife, until officers stormed the train. He was killed late Thursday night.

The attacker had forced the train driver – which stopped near Yverdon – to sit with the passengers, who reported the situation to the police.

The negotiations with the 32-year-old took place partly over WhatsApp and with the help of a translator who speaks Persian, the dominant language in Iran.

The Pau Canton Police said in a statement today: “All the hostages were released safe and sound.” He added, “The man who was holding the hostages was mortally wounded during the operation.”

The hostage-taking operation began around 6:35 pm on Thursday. The attacker, armed with an ax and a knife, forced the train driver to join 14 passengers on the train. It has been frozen with its doors closed near Yverdon-les-Bains in the west #Switzerland. https://t.co/O0wci0u01e

– swissinfo.ch (@swissinfo_en) February 9, 2024

#Switzerland Train passengers were taken hostage by a 32-year-old man #Iranian Asylum seeker. The hostage situation ends after the suspect is killed. #Food #Hostages #trains #They are alone #St.Croix #police #to intervene pic.twitter.com/GhTaj9ztip

– Elite Theory (@Elite_Theory) February 9, 2024

Police did not provide details about the attacker's possible motives.

Hostage taking cases are rare in Switzerland, but have occurred in the past in banks and companies.

In November 2021, the director of a watch company and his family members were taken hostage in his home, where the attackers stole the gold and fled to neighboring France. Additionally, in January 2022, employees of a watch company were held hostage and forced to open a safe containing precious metals.