German police in standoff as armed, blood-soaked man barricades himself in restaurant

An injured man, armed and covered in blood, has barricaded himself in a restaurant in the west German town of Saarbrücken and ordered everyone inside to leave. According to the reports from Bild Saarland, the man, who is related to the restaurant owner, was seen by witnesses to be covered in blood.

Police have confirmed he was injured when he entered the building in central Saarbrücken. They have confirmed they are not treating the incident as terror related. During July, Germany witnessed a wave of terror-related violence, particularly in the southern region of Bavaria.

Initial reports claimed the man was in possession of a gun. However, police have said while they believe the man to be armed, they are not sure what type of weapon he has.

Police spokesman Kurt Schwindling was quoted by the Associated Press as saying a relative of the restaurant owner had entered the establishment early on Sunday morning (7 August). He ordered everyone inside the building – some cleaning staff – to go outside.

Schwindling added that the man, who has not been identified, was most likely suffering from psychological problems.

Elite police have been dispatched to the scene. They are currently trying to talk to him and convince him to end the standoff. It was not immediately clear how the man was injured.