A man was shot on Monday evening in the Brussels commune of Forest, just several days after a shooting in the same municipality.
On Monday evening at around 20:30, the Brussels South police received several calls after gunshots were fired on Avenue Victor Rousseau in The Brussels municipality of Forest, the Brussels public prosecutor's office confirmed in a statement on Tuesday. The street is located in the Altitude 100 district, between the Chaussée d'Alsemberg, Parc Duden and Parc de Forest.
"Upon arrival at the scene near a bus stop, police officers found an injured person," said spokesperson Yasmina Vanoverschelde. "Emergency services were also present and administered first aid to the victim."
Initial indications from the investigation confirm that the person who was shot was the victim of an attempted kidnapping in the area. A video showcasing this kidnapping was shared on social media. In the video, two men dressed in black, one wearing a mask of a monkey's head, can be seen trying to force the victim into a black BMW, Le Soir reported.
"Violence was allegedly used in the process. The victim resisted. Shots were also fired during the incident," said Vanoverschelde. The victim managed to get out of the vehicle but sustained several injuries "including gunshot wounds".
"After receiving treatment at the scene, the victim was transferred to hospital, but he is not in mortal danger." The suspects were able to flee, but the getaway car was recovered this morning.
Second shooting
The Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office is currently investigating the exact circumstances of the incident. "It is currently unclear whether this incident has anything to do with last week's shooting incidents. Further investigations will have to reveal that too," Vanoverschelde said.
Another shooting took place in Forest on Thursday night. A young man was severely injured and was taken to hospital with gunshot wounds to the buttocks and hand.
It remains unclear whether the first or second shooting in Forest can be linked to the other shootings in the region. In the past weeks, violence here has once again been flaring up, with at least six shootings, including one fatal incident. These were mostly situated around Porte de Hal and the Marolles in Saint-Gilles, but also in Schaerbeek.
Several incidents are believed to be fuelled by international organised crime networks fighting for control of the territory and trade. A meeting of the Regional Security Council has been called for Tuesday 27 February to develop a "multifaceted" approach involving the different policy levels.
This article was updated at 13:20 (20 February 2024) to include additional information from the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office.
