The incident occurred approximately 3 miles away from a stadium where more than 35,000 spectators were attending a Belgium-Sweden soccer match, according to Belgium’s anti-terror center. As a result, the game had to be abandoned midway.
At this stage, it remains unclear whether the shooting incident is connected to the ongoing international tensions surrounding the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Shooting Incident in Brussels
Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden addressed a recent tragic shooting incident in Brussels, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to track down the perpetrator. The minister also mentioned her participation in government talks at the National Crisis Center.
Amateur videos circulated by the media depicted a man firing multiple shots near a station, using a substantial firearm.
To ensure public safety, the police promptly arrived at the scene and secured the surrounding area. However, police spokesperson Ilse Vande Keere refrained from providing further details regarding the circumstances of the shooting.
This incident occurred during a period of heightened vigilance due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, which has exacerbated tensions across various European countries. Additionally, the Belgian capital has recently witnessed an upsurge in violence associated with international drug trafficking.
In response to a series of public Quran-burnings conducted by an Iraqi refugee residing in Sweden, Sweden raised its terror alert level to the second-highest tier in August. Consequently, the country has faced threats from Islamic militant groups.