Terror alert in Brussels: At least 2 dead after shots fired

The attack is said to have occurred shortly after 7 p.m. near Sainctelette Square in downtown Brussels. According to reports, both victims were wearing Swedish football shirts, as the European Championship qualifier between Belgium and Sweden is currently taking place. The King Baudouin Stadium is around five kilometers from the crime scene.

According to the Belgian news agency Belga, an armed man got off a scooter in the north of the city and fired shots on the street. When several people fled into a house entrance, he is said to have chased them and shot them. According to Belgian media, the perpetrator then shot at a black Mercedes bus, killing the driver. The police did not initially confirm this information, i.eThe investigation is ongoing, a spokeswoman said in the evening.

After his bloody act, the perpetrator is said to have declared himself in a video message as a “fighter for Allah” and said that he was taking revenge in the name of Muslims and had killed three people.

Belgian Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden wrote on Twitter (X) that the perpetrator was still being sought.

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo called on Brussels residents to be vigilant. According to him, the victims were Swedes. He expressed his sincere condolences to the Swedish Prime Minister: “As close partners, the fight against terrorism is a common fight.”

Belgian EU Council President Charles Michel wrote on Twitter: “The heart of Europe is being hit by violence. My condolences go out to the families of the victims of the deadly attack in the center of Brussels.”

Verlinden, De Croo and Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne went to the National Crisis Center in the evening to monitor the situation more closely. Some media reported that the act could have an Islamist background. However, there was initially no confirmation of this.

The European Football Championship qualifier between Belgium and Sweden in Austria Group F was canceled at half-time on Monday evening due to the attack, with the score tied at 1-1. The Swedish Football Association announced this on Twitter. The spectators, including around 700 supporters from Sweden who had traveled with them, were asked via an announcement to stay in the King Baudouin Stadium.

Read about it:

• European Championship qualifying game between Belgium and Sweden canceled after shooting in Brussels
• After the killing of 2 Swedes: Highest terror alert level in Brussels

Localization graphic: The crime scene in Brussels

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