A man has shot and killed two police officers and a passerby in the centre of the Belgian city of Liège, about 100 kilometres east of Brussels.
Police told the BBC that the man has since been “neutralised“, and the situation is considered under control.
The Telegraph reports that the man, aged 30, was stopped near the Café Des Augustins on the Boulevard d’Avroy for a routine police check, before he disarmed one of the officers and opened fire. There have been unconfirmed reports that that he cried “Allahu Akbar” (‘God is greatest’ in Arabic) before firing.
After killing the two police officers and one passerby, he attempted to flee the scene, taking a woman – who Belgian sources identify as a cleaning lady – hostage outside a school.
Two other police officers were injured in a second firefight, but managed to subdue the attacker. The Telegraph quoted an unnamed source describing the hostage as “safe and healthy“.
The case is being monitored by the country’s anti-terrorist crisis centre, according to Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon.
Fusillade à Liège. @CrisiscenterBE fait un aperçu de la situation.
— Jan Jambon (@JanJambon) May 29, 2018
Eric Van Der Sypt, spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office, told the Agence France-Presse that “There are elements that point in the direction that this is a terrorist act.”
Belgian broadcaster RTBF has reported the man was released from prison, having been charged with “minor offences“, on Monday.
A security perimeter has been set up, and the public asked to avoid the area.
Belgian Prime Minister, Charles Michel, has since offered his support to the victims and their families, while condemning the “blind and cowardly violence” of the attacker.
Violence lâche et aveugle a #Liège. Tout notre soutien pour les victimes et leurs proches. Nous suivons la situation avec les services de sécurité et le centre de crise.
— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) May 29, 2018
Details are still unfolding.
In 2016, three coordinated suicide bombings in Brussels – later claimed by Islamic State – killed 32 people, putting the country on high terror alert.
