Armenian police free child taken hostage at pre-school

YEREVAN, Armenia – Armenian police on Monday freed a 3-year-old boy taken hostage at a pre-school and arrested his knife-wielding captor.

Police managed to persuade the hostage-taker to release the boy, who was unhurt, said police spokesman Ashot Agaronian. Immediately after a police officer took the child out of the room, police used a stun grenade to arrest the attacker.

The assailant tried to kill himself but was stopped by police, Agaronian said.

The tense standoff lasted for several hours in the town of Armavir, 40 kilometres (25 miles) west of the capital, Yerevan.

Initial news reports from the ex-Soviet republic indicated the attacker had taken all children and teachers hostage, but police said the assailant was holding just one child. Agaronian said the hostage-taker appeared to be seeking a meeting with his ex-wife, who works at the pre-school.