One person was killed and another left seriously injured in two different shootings in Brussels last night: one took place in Laeken, and the other victim was found in the municipality of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode.
Just before midnight on Saturday, the City of Brussels/Ixelles police received a call about shots being fired in Rue Steyls in Laeken. At the scene, first responders found a severely injured man. They tried to resuscitate him but the victim, a man born in 1995, died from his injuries at around 00:20.
"An investigation for murder was opened immediately," said Martin François, spokesperson for the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office, in a press release on Sunday. "A judicial perimeter was set up, and the investigating judge went to the scene, accompanied by the magistrate on duty from the Public Prosecutor's Office, the federal police lab, a ballistic expert and a forensic doctor."
The perpetrator or perpetrators are still on the run. A safety zone was established and has in the meantime been lifted again, meaning everyone can use the streets again. Police presence in the neighbourhood was increased to reassure the population.
Second shooting
A few hours later, another person was killed in Saint-Josse, where shots were heard in the Rue de la Prairie around 03:00, announced the Brussels North police zone. At the scene, they found a severely injured man (28).
"Once again, the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office immediately opened an investigation for attempted murder," said François. "The investigating judge went to the scene, accompanied by the prosecutor on duty, the federal police lab and a ballistics expert."
"At this stage, there is nothing to indicate that the two shootings are linked," he added. "The two investigations are actively ongoing, to identify the perpetrator(s) of these crimes, and to determine the exact circumstances."
In the interests of the investigation, the Brussels public prosecutor's office will not make any further comments at this stage.
Update: This article was updated on Monday afternoon following a statement from the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office.
