Man takes 12 hostages in Italian daycare

[ells9824]

ROME - A man who took 12 hostages at a day-care centre in southern Italy has begun releasing his captives.

The top police official in Reggio Calabria says five youngsters have been freed, leaving six children and the teacher inside.

RAI state television showed footage from inside the classroom, with the man waving a box cutter and shouting as children mill around him, some of them crying.

Several of the man's relatives, including his father, brother, uncle and a cousin, are at the scene and are taking turns speaking with him.

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[ells9824]

The ANSA news agency says a man armed with a box cutter surrendered to police after holding almost a dozen children and a teacher hostage for several hours at the daycare centre in in Reggio Calabria.

The man, who had complained of judicial problems, freed five youngsters hours into the siege.

ANSA says he later released the remaining six and their teacher and gave himself up to police.

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