A shooting has occurred at the Estonian Defence Ministry building on Thursday afternoon around 1500 EET.
A person working at the ministry, who declined to be named, said that an email was sent to all staff around 1500 EET, urging personnel to stay away from the building's corridors. "I then heard three gun shots. I first thought it was some kind of drill," the person said. Shortly afterwards another email went out to employees asking them to lock their doors.
"Moments later safety guards appeared, and asked us to leave the building through the back door. When I came out, the building was surrounded by the police," the person said.
Regional news agency Baltic News Service wrote that there had been an explosion, according to preliminary information. BNS added that Estonian police received the first call about the shooting at 1510 EET. A police spokesperson said the building has been evacuated by police and that the area has been sealed off.
According to BNS, a special police unit of about ten men entered the Defense Ministry building at 1647 EET together with a bomb robot. The news agency added that a sound similar to that of a shooting could be heard from the building at 1651 EET.
"Six or seven shots could be heard," said a BNS reporter who arrived at the location. Postimees, Estonia's largest newspaper, said that a hostage has been taken at the ministry.
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