Some of the victims of Wednesday night’s shooting near Brussels-Midi station are believed to be collateral damage to a suspected drug settling score, new reports suggest.
The perpetrators travelled on a scooter, according to a source known to the Belga News Agency. Initial police investigations suggest that they were targeting the café and not individual customers. The high victim account makes it one of the worst shootings in recent years.
Police have not yet made any arrests and the motive of the perpetrators is not yet clear to investigators. However, it would appear to be drug-related. So far, only a scooter has been found.
The two victims, 44-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman, were sitting on the terrace of the Astoria café by Brussels-Midi station around 01:00 when the attack happened. They are believed to be collateral victims, however, an update from the Brussels Public Prosecutor at 16:00 on Thursday has not confirmed this.
Three others were wounded. The men, aged 42 and 49 respectively, sustained severe gunshot wounds. "They were transferred to hospital in critical condition. Their lives are still at risk." A fifth male victim aged 31 whose life was not in danger was also taken to hospital for care.
A broken wooden window frame, possibly by a bullet, is seen at the scene of a shooting incident. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
A man named William, who was at the scene on Thursday morning and knew the victims, spoke to SudInfo: "I don't understand why this café was still open after 01:00. Normally, it should have closed at that time, as the local council decided following the arson attack on the Cameroonian restaurant next door. My cousin has died and two of my friends, who were hit by bullets, are in hospital."
"It may be a problem between the owners who have the investments here, but I am willing to bet my life that it's not a settling of scores among the young people who hang around here," he continued, suggesting that the perpetrators came from outside the neighbourhood. The man later lit a candle to pay tribute to the victims.
William (no last name available), a relative of and friend of some of the victims, lights a candle at the scene of a shooting incident in a bar in Saint-Gilles, Brussels, Thursday 27 June 2024. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
At the end of April this year a restaurant in the Rue de l'Argonne, which was thought to be a front for a drug dealing operation, had already been targeted as part of an alleged settling of scores. The perpetrators had first shot at it before returning to set it alight.
"We're in the Rue de l'Argonne, which is undergoing urban renewal as part of a neighbourhood contract and has all the assets of a station front that could be great. The establishment being targeted has already been the subject of administrative closures signed by myself in the past," the Mayor of Saint-Gilles Jean Spinette (PS) told SudInfo. "It is located in the 'hotspot' zone of the Brussels-Midi and the resulting night-time closure order has clearly not been complied with."
When questioned on the motives, the mayor cautiously suggested that recent police operations could be destabilising drug trafficking operations. "All leads are open. The intensive police operations against drug trafficking are shaking things up, so there may be a bit of anger on the ground, but that's just speculation."
Saint-Gilles mayor Jean Spinette (C) pictured at the scene of a shooting incident. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
"Last Sunday, police officers and I went on an investigative walk around the area. We know that we are faced with two phenomena: street dealing, which is scaring people, and drug users who are in a very precarious situation," the mayor of Saint-Gilles added.
It is too early to tell whether the shooting is linked to the massive police action in Peterbos which brought down a large international criminal organisation.
In 2023, seven people have been killed in drug violence in the Belgian capital. 130 others were (heavily) injured. Very often, these episodes of violence are between rival gangs fighting for their territory to deal drugs.
This article was update at 16:25 to include information released from the Brussels Public Prosecutor.
