A negotiator and a tactical group of the anti-terrorist unit "Omega", as well as the Special Task Force and the Riga North Administration were involved in the release of the woman, the police said.
The police received a call to an address in Riga's Teika district shortly before 11:00 on July 14. Residents had heard strange noises and a possible domestic dispute in a ground-floor apartment.
When the police arrived at the scene, a man born in 1983, reportedly under the influence of narcotics, saw the law enforcement officers through the window and threatened to kill himself and his mother if the law enforcement officers tried to enter the apartment.
After making the threat, the man took his mother hostage, holding a knife to her.
In response to the developing situation, representatives of the Police Special Task Force and the Criminal Police Bureau arrived at the scene, and a negotiator and tactical team from the anti-terrorist unit "Omega" were deployed in view of the potential threat.
Omega, together with Special Task Force officers, entered the apartment and successfully freed the hostage and detained the man.
The woman was not injured.
The detained man has previous convictions for various thefts and robberies. On July 15, the man was remanded in custody.
Criminal proceedings have been initiated for taking or detaining a person as a hostage if this involves a threat to murder, cause bodily harm, or further detain that person to compel a natural or legal person or a group of persons to commit or refrain from committing an act as a condition for the release of the hostage.
Such an offense shall be punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of two to ten years, with or without confiscation of property, and probation supervision for a term of up to three years, with or without confiscation of property.
The law enforcement authorities are grateful to the citizens who did not remain indifferent and reported the case to the police. The police also continue to urge people not to be indifferent and to report such and similar cases.
