The Belgian federal prosecutor’s office, responsible for terrorism, is responsible for the investigation. In videos posted on social networks, a shooter in a fluorescent orange jacket rides a scooter and flees after using an automatic rifle.
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Two people were killed by gunfire early Monday evening in the center of Brussels, and the suspect is on the run, the prosecutor’s office in the Belgian capital announced to AFP. Shortly after, the federal prosecutor’s office, responsible for terrorism, announced that it was seized of the investigation. “My most sincere condolences to the loved ones of the victims of the cowardly attack in Brussels”has asserted on the Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo. He then clarified that the victims were of Swedish nationality.
A football match between Belgium and Sweden takes place Monday evening in Brussels, at the King Baudouin stadium, as part of qualifying for Euro 2024.
The events occurred near Place Sainctelette, in the northern districts of the Belgian capital. According to several videos broadcast on social networks and in the Belgian media, including the website of the Flemish newspaper Het Laatste Nieuwsthe shooter in a fluorescent orange jacket was riding a scooter and fled after using an automatic rifle.
An activated crisis unit
A video claiming responsibility for the double murder, in which a man is dressed in the same fluorescent orange jacket and speaks in Arabic, is also circulating, without being authenticated. That man claims to belong to the Islamic State terrorist group and claims to have killed “three Swedes”.
A security perimeter has been installed. “The police services are mobilizing to ensure security in and around our capital in collaboration with the Minister of the Interior”, says on X (ex-Twitter) the mayor of Brussels, Philippe Close. “Terrible shooting in Brussels”complete on the social network the Minister of the Interior, Annelies Verlinden. “I monitor the situation and the measures to be taken from the National Crisis Center”, she adds. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice are participating, according to the spokesperson for the Crisis Center, cited by La Libre Belgique.