A hostage drama in a Lisbon bank Thursday took a bloody end as police intervened and killed one of the suspects, with some of the incident broadcast live on Portuguese television, the dpa reported.
One of the robbers, who along with his accomplice had taken three people hostage in the bank, was shot to death. The second was seriously injured, officials said.
The hostages were rescued, with one of them suffering minor injuries during the operation.
Shortly after the hostages were seized, the suspects let one woman go free. Security officials surrounded the bank, blocked off access and ordered nearby businesses closed. A special commando troop took positions at the bank.
With television cameras rolling, police negotiated with the robbers. After eight hours, they took their two remaining hostages and left the bank, threatening the hostages with guns.
There was some confusion about why police then opened fire on the robbers.