One of the two men suspected of having committed a homophobic attack on a STIB bus on 10 February has turned himself in to the police, the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office announced on Friday. The young man, a minor, has been detained and handed over to the juvenile court judge.
According to the testimony of the two victims, they were taking the bus towards Brussels-Central Station when they were stopped by two men who repeatedly asked them if they were gay. They affirmed they were, which immediately made the two individuals aggressive.
"The taller of the two went for my friend and hit her in the head," said one of the victims. "I immediately started filming. He then threw an electronic cigarette in my face and started hitting me. I tried to protect myself, but there were two of them attacking me. Another passenger saw that one of them was carrying a knife."
Other passengers intervened and the two victims were able to get to safety with the driver, but the two attackers continued to threaten them until they left the bus. The victims had to go to hospital for treatment.
The Brussels-North police zone opened an investigation and issued a wanted notice with images of the suspects the day after the incident.
"After the images were released, one of the suspects voluntarily presented himself at the front desk of a police station," the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office said on Friday. "The individual was detained and handed over to the Public Prosecutor's Office. The young man was brought before the juvenile court."
