Brussels police on Tuesday morning shot a man suspected of killing two Swedish football fans in an Islamist terror attack on Monday night, according to Belgian Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden speaking on local radio, according to Politico.
In a press conference at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said the suspect was “a man of Tunisian origin” who “was staying illegally in our country.”
Belgian prosecutors said that a man identified as the suspected shooter died after being taken to the hospital, according to Bloomberg. The weapon believed to be used in the attack was found on the suspect, told VRT TV.
Monday night’s attack took place around one and a half kilometers north of the city center’s Grand Place, and not far from the Sainte Catherine area — a popular spot filled with restaurants and bars. It happened shortly before Belgium played Sweden in an international football match, which was abandoned after the slayings.
De Croo said the shooter “targeted specifically Swedish football supporters” and that a full investigation into the “brutal terrorist attack” is underway.
Heightened security measures will be implemented in sensitive locations in Belgium, particularly those associated with the Swedish community, De Croo said.
Sweden has been on the front line of blowback from hard-line Islamists due to repeated Quran burnings — including a spate this summer, which led Stockholm to increase the country’s security threat level.
In the city’s European Quarter, the European Commission has urged staff to work from home. Visitors are barred from accessing EU buildings and car parks are closed, according to internal staff alerts seen by Brussels Playbook.
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