A suspected terrorist has stabbed one policeman to death and shot another in the chest with the slain officer’s service weapon in Brussels, the national capital of Belgium and the principal capital of the European Union.
Reports indicate that the suspect presented himself at a police station in the multicultural city and announced he planned to carry out a terrorist attack, and was sent on to a psychiatric hospital voluntarily — and then released.
The suspect is said to have started Thursday evening, targeting two police officers near the Bruxelles du Nord railway station, fatally stabbing one, reportedly in the neck, before shooting the other one with his colleague’s firearm.
An officer from another patrol “used his firearm to neutralise the attacker”, according to a police spokesman, with reports indicating that the suspect was hit in the abdomen and legs and died in hospital.
Le Soir reports the attacker as having been identified as one Yassine M. by police, noting that he shouted “Allahu Akbar!” — Arabic for “[our] God is greater” — as he struck.
PICTURES: Terror In Brussels, City On Lockdown https://t.co/m2nwD6LPFd pic.twitter.com/QjKLQnZSDN
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) March 22, 2016
“I get off my car and see that a man is laying on the ground, he was half dead, but I could still see him moving a bit. I tried to come closer, but the police told me to go away,” said an unnamed eyewitness of the incident in comments quoted by Sky News.
“It was a really frightening scene, I was really scared when I saw all this blood and that man on ground.”
“Our police officers risk their lives every day to ensure the safety of our citizens. Today’s drama demonstrates this once again,” said Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo, of the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open VLD) party, in a social media post.
“My thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased officer,” De Croo continued, adding that his “sincere hope is that his hospitalized colleague will be well.”
Brussels Terror Attack Victim Euthanised at 23 After Unbearable Psychological Suffering https://t.co/G0hiRXgCe3
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) October 8, 2022
This story is developing…
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