Standoff with man threatening to commit suicide ends after five hours

A standoff with a man threatening to commit suicide by detonating a gas cylinder in an apartment building on Acharnon Street in central Athens ended after approximately five hours of negotiations on Tuesday. 

Police forces entered the sixth-floor apartment where the 28-year-old Syrian national had locked himself in, and managed to restrain him. 

According to reports, the man is believed to suffer from psychological problems and had threatened to end his life again just a few days earlier. That incident occurred at a friend's house, after which he was transferred to a psychiatric hospital. 

Since Tuesday morning, Hellenic Police negotiators, with the assistance of translators, had been trying to persuade the 28-year-old to reconsider, but communication was difficult. 

The apartment building had been evacuated, and the surrounding area was cordoned off.