Motive in Ede hostage situation unknown; Victims appeal for privacy

It was still unknown on Monday why a 28-year-old man in Ede allegedly took four employees of Café Petticoat as hostages for hours early on Saturday. The victims also said they do not know why this happened, the team at the Ede café wrote in a statement released on their behalf. The statement described the hostage taker as "a man unknown to them.”

There have been many rumors flying around about what happened on that Saturday morning, the statement said. "This has led to great uncertainty and fear for the victims, the families and friends involved. The investigation into this case will have to uncover the facts,” the statement continued.

“The team and their families therefore ask everyone, like them, to wait for the investigation and further criminal proceedings, and to stop sharing stories or assumptions."

The staff of Café Petticoat also appealed to everyone to remove images and videos of the victims and to stop distributing them. "These are young people with their whole lives ahead of them. Safeguarding their privacy is therefore of the utmost importance," the statement said.

Café Petticoat was the scene of a hostage situation that lasted for hours on Saturday morning, the first report of which was received by the police around 5:15 a.m. Just after noon, all four hostages were released without physical injury, and the suspect was arrested.

The organization which released the statement from the staff of Café Petticoat is part of victim support group Slachtofferhulp Nederland. The organization supports victims who have become part of the news due to a terrible event or personal calamity.