Darmstadt's main railway station was briefly evacuated after a man began threatening passengers with a knife, local media report Tuesday.

Police are said to have opened fire in order to detain him. A policeman was injured.

The suspect, who is reportedly in his 20-30s, is said to have been detained. His motive is unclear. The man had apparently been threatening railway officials and passengers with a knife.

A police officer shot the suspect in the leg, after which the man was taken to hospital.

All trains have been halted and it is not clear when normal service will resume.

Darmstadt has a population of just 150,000. However, the town's Hautpbahnhof is one of the busiest in the area with 35,000 passengers and 220 trains per day.

Source: MENA