A police patrol from the Brussels-Midi zone came under fire Wednesday evening while attempting to stop a suspicious vehicle on rue Dante in Anderlecht.
The Brussels prosecutor’s office revealed the incident Thursday evening, indicating a potential connection to another shooting that occurred the same night near the Aumale metro station, which left one person injured.
The confrontation began around 7:15 p.m. when officers attempted to pull over a vehicle due to suspicious behavior and traffic violations, news outlet RTBF reported.
As police pursued the vehicle, it accelerated, leading to a chase. According to the prosecutor’s office, during the pursuit, a passenger from the suspect vehicle exited and opened fire on the officers using a firearm.
Fortunately, none of the officers were injured, as they were able to take cover. A bullet did strike a nearby vehicle containing several occupants, though no injuries were reported. Early investigation findings suggest that the suspects may have used a Kalashnikov-type weapon.
“The first elements of the investigation seem to indicate that the perpetrators used a Kalashnikov-type weapon. In addition, they seem to show that there could be a link with gunshots that occurred near the Aumale metro station shortly before,” the Brussels’ public prosecutor’s office revealed in a prepared statement.
The other shooting mentioned also occurred in Anderlecht hours before.
The public prosecutor’s office deployed a ballistic expert, a forensic scientist, and the federal judicial police laboratory team to the scene for further investigation.
“We are actively working with all partners to locate the perpetrator(s),” it added.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to confirm whether the two incidents are connected and to apprehend those responsible.
Major cities like Brussels and Antwerp, a major port and hotspot for drug trafficking, have seen a considerable rise in gun-related crimes in recent years, particularly in connection with organized migrant crime and gang-related violence.
A study published in December last year by the Flemish Peace Institute found that Belgium had the fourth-highest rate of gun violence in Europe.
The Brussels Times reported in February this year that the rise in possession of firearms had been a concern of the federal judicial police in the Belgian capital for years, noting its call for the epidemic to be treated as a priority.
“Instead, the resources given to the specialized federal police arms squad have decreased for years, resulting in the unit being understaffed until recently,” it wrote.
The issue made headlines in October last year when Islamist gunman Abdesalem Lassoued shot dead two Swedish football fans in central Brussels.
The subsequent investigation found he had traveled illegally to Europe via the Italian island of Lampedusa and had roamed freely through several EU member states despite being known to the authorities as a radicalization threat.
