Police shootout in Paterswolde leads to arrest

Authorities responding to a woman's reported assault in a home in Paterswolde found themselves on the defensive when a man opened fire on the investigating officers, police said. One fired back at the suspect, and eventually police managed to corner and arrest the 27-year-old into custody.

Miraculously, there were no injuries reported in the case.

Officers were dispatched to the Hayo Hindriksweg in the quiet Drenthe town just south of the city of Groningen on Thursday night for the abuse incident. They interviewed a woman inside the home, but the other person involved in the dispute was not there. They then decided to inspect the backyard garden area.

"The moment they wanted to walk into the alley next to the house, the officers were shot at repeatedly. An officer also returned fire several times," police said. The responding officers called for backup while they secured the area, police said.

When help arrived, officers managed to track down and arrest the suspect in a garden, according to the police statement. A firearm was found nearby.

The woman police first encountered in the home was also taken into custody, with officers concerned there might be another weapon in the house. With the investigation ongoing, police said on Friday morning, "Both the man and the woman are locked up in a cell."