Two Swedes shot and killed by suspected gunman – Belgian authorities

A person who shot and killed two people from Sweden in a terrorist attack in Brussels has been shot by the police. This ends a search for the suspect that took place during the night. Local news reported this information on Tuesday.

The suspect, whose identity is still not known, was shot in the chest by police in Schaerbeek, a place in the northeast of the capital city. The police then took the suspect to the hospital for treatment. This information was reported by the public broadcaster RTBF.

According to Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden, RTBF reported that he is in a special unit for critical care.

The person believed to have shot others had a violent attack on Monday night while Belgium was hosting a soccer match against Sweden. The game was taking place at a stadium called King Baudouin Stadium, which is 3 miles away from the center of Brussels. Because of the attack, the soccer game had to be stopped during halftime.

A person on social media claimed to be the shooter and said they were inspired by Islamic State. The Belgium prosecutor’s office said that the victims being Swedish may have been the reason for the attack.

Right now, there is no evidence that there is a connection with the Israeli-Palestinian situation. “We have taken urgent security measures to protect Swedish fans as much as we can, based on the facts and claims,” said spokesperson Eric Van Duyse during a press conference.

Belgian authorities strongly criticized the attack.

“Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib expressed shock and sadness over the terrorist attack in Brussels on X” We must do everything necessary to fight against radicalism. We are thinking about the victims, their families, and the police.

After the attack, the level of threat from terrorism in Brussels has been increased to the highest level, which is level 4. The French Interior Ministry has also increased the checks at the border between France and Belgium.

The police were in Brussels to make sure people were safe, according to the city’s mayor, Philippe Close, who wrote about it on X.

Close said that the police are taking action to ensure safety in and around our capital city, Brussels, after the shooting. They are working together with the Minister of the Interior. “I am at the crisis center to make sure everything is working together well. ”

Belgium’s Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, expressed his sincere sympathies to the families affected by this cowardly attack.

I am keeping a close eye on the situation with the Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs from the Belgian Crisis Center. We are watching the situation closely and we kindly request the people of Brussels to stay alert.

The Crisis Center of the country also shared on X and requested people to not share pictures or videos of the incident, as it would be kind to the victims.