The suspect was arrested about six hours after the siege began
A hostage-taking operation in a nightclub in a town in eastern Holland ended after a man was arrested.
Local media said four people were taken hostage when he entered the Petitcoat Cafe in Eddy early Saturday morning and threatened to blow himself up.
An initial group of three people were released, while a fourth appeared about seven hours after the incident began.
Police said the suspect's motive remains unclear, and his mental state is under investigation.
Dutch broadcaster NOS reported that authorities were alerted to the possible presence of hostages at around 05:15 local time (04:15 GMT).
Anne-Jan Oosterhart, head of operations at the East Holland Police, said the force arrived at the site within two minutes.
Officials said the suspect had a black backpack and several knives, which he showed to the hostages.
Residents were evacuated from about 150 homes in the area, and the city center was closed.
Mayor Rene Verhulst said the incident “affected a lot of people” and “emotions are high.”
He added that the hostages were employees cleaning up when the suspect entered the nightclub.
After the last hostage was released, the suspect left the club wearing a mask. He was then handcuffed and led away by police.
Bomb disposal units and police were photographed in protective clothing at the scene. Trains to and from Ede have been cancelled, NS Railway said on its website.
Mr Oosterhirt said almost all specialist police teams had been deployed.
He added that the hostages are being taken care of after their release.
He added: “We spoke briefly with the victims. They are very shocked. We will provide them with all the care and attention in cooperation with the municipality to make sure they get all the support they need.”
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