[UPDATE] Brussels Police Gun Down Man Suspected of Killing 2 Swedish Soccer Fans

Brussels Police Shoots Gunman Dead After Killing Two Swedish Soccer Fans

(Photo : JAMES ARTHUR GEKIERE/BELGA/AFP via Getty Images) Belgian police officers from the forensic service gathered in the street in the Schaerbeek area of Brussels on October 17, 2023, where the suspected perpetrator of the attack in Brussels was shot dead during a police intervention. Brussels police on October 17, 2023, shot and fatally wounded an attacker accused of gunning down two Swedish football fans in what Belgium's prime minister condemned as an act of "terrorist madness".

Brussels police have shot dead a suspected gunman who killed two Swedish football fans near the stadium where Sweden's football team faced off against Belgium late Monday night (October 16).

Belgian interior minister Annelies Verlinden told Flemish broadcaster VRT that the gunman was located in a cafe but could not rule out that he had accomplices.

She added that the weapon believed to have been used to shoot the Swedes has been recovered.

At a news conference in Stockholm, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson claimed that the attack was a "terrorist attack" against Sweden and Swedes, saying that the suspect occasionally stayed in Sweden but was not on police files there.

"We have an openness in Europe, which is one of the important reasons why we need to keep an eye on the EU's external border because otherwise, people can easily move between European countries," he was quoted saying by the Associated Press.

Gunman Identified

According to Sky News, Belgian prosecutors identified the shooter as Abdesalem L - a 45-year-old Tunisian national.

Local media said authorities received a tip from a member of the public that the gunman was spotted at a cafe in the Schaerbeek area of the city on Tuesday morning (October 17).

Emergency services attempted to stabilize the suspect but was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

"We would like to thank the intelligence and security services, as well as the public prosecutor's office, for their swift and decisive action last night and this morning," Verlinden said.

Belgian prosecutors say investigations on the shooting are ongoing.

Euro 2024 Game Abandoned by Shooting

It was previously reported that the Euro 2024 qualifier between Belgium and Sweden was abandoned after the first half when game officials and the public were informed of the active shooter incident.

The match's score was 1-1 when it was suspended at half-time.

Over 35,000 football fans were spectating the match at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels when the shooting happened. UEFA authorities have decided to keep the audience inside for a time.