Heist-op-den-Berg (Brussels Morning News) – A stabbing occurred on September 14, 2025, at Zwaneberg cultural centre, Heist-op-den-Berg. A person was injured. The suspect is a 16-year-old boy in a hooded sweatshirt. Police are investigating.
As HLN News reported, a stabbing occurred on Saturday afternoon, Sep 13, 2025, in the parking lot of the Zwaneberg cultural centre in Heist-op-den-Berg, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium. The attack resulted in 1 person being injured. Police reported that the attack occurred approximately 4:45 p.m. on Culturplein.
The authorities stated that a confrontation between a group of friends erupted and intensified when a knife was used. Emergency responders came quickly. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Police opened an investigation and asked anyone with information about the suspect to come forward.
“The victim sustained a superficial stab wound and was taken to the hospital in Lier. The bleeding was under control,”
said police spokesperson Jana De Roover. The perpetrator fled after the incident.
“The search is ongoing.”
Who stabbed a teen victim at Zwaneberg Centre, Heist-op-den-Berg?
Witnesses described the suspect as appearing to be a boy about 16 years old, wearing a hooded sweatshirt. He escaped in the direction of Boudewinlaan after he attacked. Residents said concerns about safety in the area have been growing in recent years.
Incidents of drugs, harassment, and vandalism have been reported by police in the area. In previous years, stewards were deployed to monitor the area, but authorities said the measures did not fully solve the problems.
The incident drew attention on social media, where many residents shared concerns about public safety. Police said investigations are ongoing.
“Residents have been raising the issue of safety in our municipality for a long time, but without success. When you hear women say they no longer dare wait alone at the station for a bus or train in the evening, it speaks volumes. I don’t even want to discuss the open dealing,”
is one of the comments.
Heist-op-den-Berg has faced rising safety concerns in recent years. In 2021, police reported multiple instances of vandalism in relation to Culturplein, or the Zwaneberg cultural centre. In 2022, the authorities provided stewards to patrol public areas, but many residents stated these stewards did not alleviate harassment and drug use. In 2023, when a few fights and small assaults were registered in the same neighbourhood, people considered this to be quite concerning. Authorities asked community members to report suspicious behaviour on a number of occasions.
