BELGIUM. Brussels: The man who killed two Swedish people on Monday night was shot dead by police in Brussels. A 45-year-old man, Abdesalem, was shot in a café in Brussels. The automatic rifle attack on Monday resulted in the deaths of two Swedes and the injury of a third.
The shooter is thought to be a guy of Tunisian descent who entered Belgium without authorization in 2020 after having his asylum request denied.
The prosecutor’s office thinks he was motivated by the Islamic State organisation after he posted a video online in which he claimed to have killed people in the name of God.
Belgian Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden confirmed that the automatic rifle recovered from the shooter was the same one used in the attack on Monday.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo described the shooting from the previous day as “a harrowing act of terrorism.” According to the prosecution, the victims’ nationality was probably a factor in the killing. The incident has sparked a call for Belgian residents to be vigilant.
A man opened fire in the city centre at 19:00 on Monday (17:00 GMT), causing a deadly attack. Videos show him riding a scooter, wearing an orange jacket, and then shooting bystanders in an apartment building’s corridor. Two of the three Swedish nationals were killed in the incident.
The shooter recorded a confessional video. The threat level for the capital increased to four after an overnight manhunt, and France increased security measures at the Belgian border.
The Euro 2024 game between Belgium and Sweden was postponed, causing 35,000 fans to wait for hours. A major manhunt was conducted at a suspect’s residence in Schaerbeek. The suspect was shot in the chest at a nearby café. After receiving intensive treatment, the 45-year-old succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Also Read: Brussels Shooting Tragedy Claims Lives of Two Swedish Citizens, Europe on High Alert
