Armed man detained after holding tourist hostage in downtown Reykjavík

A man was arrested on Hverfisgata yesterday morning following reports that he was armed and holding a tourist hostage in a downtown apartment.

The National Police Special Unit responded swiftly, closing off the area while officers secured the scene. According to Ásmundur Rúnar Gylfason, assistant police chief for the capital area, the man was apprehended without incident and no shots were fired during the operation.

Police have not confirmed whether a firearm was actually found at the scene but acknowledged that the original report indicated the suspect was armed.

The suspect, supposedly a man in his thirties, allegedly detained a foreign tourist in his residence. He was remanded today to four weeks in custody by the Reykjavík District Court on grounds of public interest while police continue their investigation.