Belgian police have launched a city-wide manhunt after a gunman claiming to be an IS supporter shot dead two people in Brussels.
The man opened fire on a group of Swedish soccer fans in a taxi as they drove along Boulevard d’Ypres, just minutes north of the city’s famous Grand Plaza, ahead of Belgium’s Euro 2024 qualifying match against Sweden.
A disturbing video recorded by passersby is said to show the attacker on a motorcycle chasing people and shooting them in public. There are also other images circulating online that show a person’s body in a taxi.
Dramatic video later emerged showing the gunman, wearing a fluorescent orange jacket, fleeing on a motorcycle while being tailed by a passerby.
After the incident, the suspected attacker used the name “Slayem Slouma” to brag about the two murders on Facebook, adding that he wanted to avenge the murder of a six-year-old US-Palestinian boy.
In Arabic, the man – named by local media as Abdesalem Lassoued, a 45-year-old of Tunisian descent – celebrated the massacre and said he committed it in the name of ISIS.
The shooter remains at large. Police confirmed that the man in the video – who was wearing an orange jacket, black scarf, yellow baseball cap and a thick black beard – was the one they were looking for in connection with the attack.
The video shows a man in a fluorescent orange jacket and a gun driving through the streets of Brussels
Police spokeswoman Ilse Vande Keere said officers soon arrived at the scene in Brussels and cordoned off the immediate neighborhood
The shooting took place on Boulevard d’Ypres, just minutes north of the city’s famous Grand Plaza
An image of the man allegedly involved in today’s shooting in Brussels was captured using mobile phone footage
Local media named the suspect as 45-year-old Abdesalem Lassoued (pictured).
The man reportedly said he was avenging the stabbing attack of six-year-old US-Palestinian boy Wadea Al-Fayoume, who was stabbed to death in Plainfield, Illinois, on Saturday morning
Police at the scene of a shooting on the Boulevard d’Ypres in Brussels
A map shows the site of the murder in central Brussels and the location of King Baudouin Stadium in the city’s northwestern suburbs
Many Sweden fans at King Baudouin Stadium cried and clutched each other while others checked their cellphones for the latest information
Belgian police and forensic investigators work at the scene of a shooting on Boulevard d’Ypres
The city’s terror alert was raised to the highest Level 4, with the spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office urging people to “go home and stay at home as long as the threat has not been eliminated.”
Eric Van Duyse, spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office, said the investigation was focused on “a possible terrorist motivation for the shooting” after “a letter of responsibility was published on social media.”
“This person claims to be inspired by the Islamic State,” Van Duyse said. “The Swedish nationality of the victims was mentioned as a likely motive.”
The Swedes were wearing their team’s jerseys and were probably on their way to a game at the King Baudouin Stadium, where Sweden was playing Belgium. A third person is said to have been seriously injured.
The match between Belgium and Sweden was later canceled and players and fans were locked in the stadium.
The game was canceled after “the players decided they did not wish to continue the game due to events in Brussels today,” an announcement said.
A UEFA spokesman said: “Following a suspected terrorist attack in Brussels this evening, after consultation with the two teams and local police authorities, it has been decided that the qualifying match between Belgium and Sweden will be abandoned.”
“Further communications will be made in due course.”
Footage published online shows the suspected shooter wearing a fluorescent orange jacket arriving at the crime scene on his moped.
The suspected shooter then ran after several people as they fled into a building, firing an automatic rifle.
The anti-terrorism center OCAD also said that the terror alert for the rest of the country has been raised to the second highest level.
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo suggested the attack was related to “terrorism” and called an emergency meeting of top cabinet ministers.
“I have just expressed my sincere condolences to @SwedishPM after a shocking attack on Swedish citizens in Brussels this evening,” De Croo said. On X, formerly known as Twitter, he added: “As close partners, the fight against terrorism is a shared fight.”
It was not immediately clear whether the shooting was related to the international uproar over the war between Israel and Hamas.
“A terrible shooting in Brussels and the perpetrator is being actively tracked down,” Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden said, adding that she was taking part in government talks at the National Crisis Center.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo called on civilians to be vigilant and said: “My deepest condolences go out to the relatives of the cowardly attack in Brussels.”
Laura Demullier of the OCAD center said in an interview that the top priority for authorities now was to safely remove thousands of soccer fans attending the Belgium-Sweden soccer match from the stadium, where the game was abandoned halfway through
Harrowing footage of the attack captured by bystanders shows a man firing a large gun multiple times while screaming in Arabic as members of the public run for their lives.
The Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws reports that the shooter used an automatic rifle and fled the scene on his scooter.
He reportedly said he was avenging the knife attack of six-year-old US-Palestinian boy Wadea Al-Fayoume, who was stabbed to death in Plainfield, Illinois, on Saturday morning.
Wadea was stabbed 26 times and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, was stabbed over a dozen times by a man who allegedly shouted, “You Muslims must die!”
Joseph Czuba, 71, is charged with the boy’s murder.
The suspected gunman claimed the attack was revenge for the killing of Wadea Al-Fayoume in the United States. The six-year-old’s funeral took place on Monday
Hundreds of people gather Monday for Wadea’s funeral at the Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview, Illinois
Attendees at Wadea’s funeral waved Palestinian flags to support him and his family after he was stabbed
Forensic investigators were at the crime scene in Brussels where two people were shot dead by a gunman
Players, fans and match officials observe a minute’s silence before the game between Belgium and Sweden at the King Baudouin Stadium
Sweden fans at the King Baudouin Stadium, where the game was suspended following the murders of two Swedes in Brussels this evening
Swedish fans are hoping for support from each other in the tense scenes at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels
A forensic expert searches the crime scene as Belgian police secure the area following a shooting in Brussels
Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said his government was working with Belgian authorities “to obtain more information about the events.”
“This evening we received terrible news from Brussels,” he said in a statement.
“The government office and relevant authorities are working intensively to obtain more information about the incident.”
The gunman was riding a moped and was heard by witnesses shouting “Allahu Akabar” – Arabic for “God is the greatest”.
An investigative source said: “He also shouted that he had carried out a revenge attack.” He shot at various people, hitting several of them. “This had all the hallmarks of a terrorist attack.”
The source said a video was also circulating on social media in which the attacker stated he had to “take revenge” by killing three people from Sweden.
The suspect, wearing a crash helmet and fluorescent jacket, brandished a Kalashnikov-style weapon and had also shot a man in the lobby of a nearby building.
Rescue workers arrived in large numbers within minutes, but no suspect could be arrested.
The investigating source added: “The alleged perpetrator posted a video in which he is a member of ISIS.”
The claim was also published by Sudinfo, one of the largest news outlets in Belgium, which said the Facebook post showed the man “bragging about murdering infidels.”
It continues: “In his very violent speech, he said that he shot two people to avenge the Muslims and that we live and die for our religion.”
A Belgian government spokesman said representatives of the country’s security services, the prosecutor’s office and the cabinet had gathered at a crisis center to discuss the terrorist motive.
“All partners have actually been called together,” said Laura Demullier, spokeswoman for the state crisis center.
Belgian police officers from the forensic service search for evidence in a street after two people were killed
Riot among Sweden fans during the European Championship qualifier between Belgium and Sweden
Police cordon off an area where a shooting took place in central Brussels
Belgian police officers secure the area on Boulevard d’Ypres near the canal
Investigators searched the crime scene left behind by a fleeing suspect, the Belgian capital’s public prosecutor’s office said
This photo shows the police cordon at the sight of the shooting on the Boulevard d’Ypres
Belgian police secure the area after two people were shot dead in Brussels
Central Brussels came to a standstill after a lone gunman shot two people dead this evening
Belgian police are at the scene of a shooting
“Everyone is asked to come here as soon as possible to discuss the next step.”
Police spokeswoman Ilse Vande Keere said officers soon arrived at the scene and cordoned off the immediate neighborhood.
She declined to provide further details about the circumstances of the shooting.
There was also controversy in Sweden over Charlie Hebdo-style cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.
A spokesman for the Brussels police said: “We are talking about two deaths, they are probably Swedish.”
Inside the stadium, fans chanted “everyone together” as they remained there for hours as cellphone networks were overwhelmed as people outside searched for details.
Mathieu Van Overstraeten, who was there with his daughter, said the crowd chanted “Everyone” and “Swedes” as they waited.
Olaf Gill, a spokesman for the European Commission, said he read the news and left the stadium still wearing Sweden’s jersey.
“Helicopters everywhere, armed police.” The police advised: “Don’t show your colors.” “Zipped jacket,” Gill tweeted. “Sad night in Brussels.”
As the cold set in, the remaining people sat quietly, waiting for news about the evacuation.
“We don’t have a lot of details,” Van Overstraeten said. “Every 10 to 15 minutes the speaker thanks people for their patience and calls for calm.”
Dozens of Swedish fans were still in the stadium at 1:30 a.m. (11:30 p.m. GMT), waiting for a police escort from the stadium, one fan said.
More than two hours after the game was stopped, the message flashed on the large stadium screen: “Fans, you can leave the stadium in peace.” As the search continued, one stand after another emptied out onto the streets filled with police officers.
“Frustrated, confused, scared. I think everyone was very scared,” said Caroline Lochs, a fan from Antwerp.
Sweden coach Janne Andersson confirmed that the players had called for the game to be abandoned when they heard about the shooting at half-time.
“I felt like it was completely unreal,” he said at a news conference. “What kind of world do we live in today? I was supposed to have a good chat with the players, but I heard it and almost started crying.
“When the team started talking, we agreed 100 percent that we did not want to proceed out of respect for the victims and their families.”
Sweden captain Victor Lindelof, the Manchester United defender, said security had “calmed down” the team.
“They explained that this was the safest place in Brussels,” he said.
“Belgium is already qualified and we have no chance of getting to the European Championships, so I see no reason to play.”
A Swedish supporter holds his head in his hands after the game was canceled due to the terrorist attack in Brussels last night
Two Swedish fans hug as news of the attack that left two people dead reaches the stadium
A Belgian fan is comforted by another as the match between his country and Sweden is abandoned
An armed police officer stands in front of the King Baudouin Stadium after the gun attack in Brussels
Manu Leroy, the chief executive of the Belgian Football Association, said he found out 10 minutes before kick-off that “something serious” had happened in downtown Brussels.
“Initially it was decided that the game should go ahead because the stadium was the safest place at that time for the fans to stay here and be safe,” he said.
Leroy said the Swedish fans were the last to leave the stadium “because the police will escort the Swedish fans and players, who of course will go straight to the airport and leave the stadium.”
“The police will set up a security corridor for the Swedish fans so that they can return home safely,” he said
There have been a number of terrorist attacks in Belgium in recent years – all linked to Islamist groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
Eight men have just been put on trial for their links to the 2016 suicide bombings that killed 32 people and injured hundreds at Brussels airport and a metro station.
In September, a Brussels court sentenced eight men to life imprisonment for the jihadist bombings in Brussels.
French citizen Salah Abdeslam and Belgian-Moroccan Mohamed Abrini – already sentenced to life in prison by France over the Paris massacre in November 2015 – were the most prominent of the six defendants found guilty of murder in July.
Abrini, who was one of the planned assassins but decided at the last moment not to blow himself up, was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
The court decided not to give Abdeslam any further prison time after he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for a shooting in Belgium in 2018.
The attacks – near NATO and EU headquarters – were part of a wave of attacks claimed by the Islamic State group in Europe.
Sweden raised its terror alert to the second highest level in August, warning of an increase in threats against Swedish interests including abroad, after Koran burnings and other acts against Islam’s holiest text in Sweden outraged Muslims and sparked threats from jihadists.
The Swedish government has condemned the burnings and is considering changes to the law that could stop them. But critics say such moves must preserve wide-ranging freedom of expression.