Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Schaerbeek police force used their weapons to shoot an individual who escaped following a theft at a supermarket the previous evening. Three people were arrested, together with the driver who attempted to escape.
The police in Schaerbeek, Brussels, fired their weapons at a suspect who stole from a supermarket while trying to escape the scene late at night. Law enforcement agents arrested three individuals, including the escaping driver of the vehicle. Police received a theft call from a supermarket located on Waelhemstraat. One of the two fugitives fled on foot, but when another suspect attempted to escape by driving a car dangerously against sidewalks, both officers and passersby became endangered. The police force deployed their weapons, which caused the vehicle to collide with a pole. The driver received medical treatment at a hospital while doctor reports indicate no imminent threat to his life.
“The 3rd suspect fled in a vehicle,”
Says Martin François of the Brussels public prosecutor’s office.
“The driver took off at full speed on the sidewalk, endangering the physical integrity of the police officers and pedestrians who had arrived at the scene. The police officers then decided to use their firearms against the vehicle, which ended up against a pole.”
The fleeing driver was injured in the accident and was taken to hospital for treatment, but according to the public prosecutor’s office, his life is not in danger.
“The two perpetrators who fled on foot were also intercepted. The investigation is continuing, and in the interest of that, the Brussels public prosecutor’s office will not comment further,”
It said.
Fien Wittebrood, editor at Studio Brussel, testifies about the incident in her street on Radio2.
“I saw everything happening from my apartment on the 3rd floor. At a quarter past 12, I woke up from really loud bangs, but really loud. I didn’t know what was happening; I woke up with a start and almost flew against the ceiling.”
The police closed off the street and stayed there all night.
“When I wanted to leave at 5 in the morning, the police were still there. They immediately shouted: “Stay there, go back inside!” I didn’t know what was happening and went back. It wasn’t until 7 o’clock that the street was completely cleared, and I could leave.”
What is the background of police activity in Schaerbeek?
The upsurge in theft incidents in densely populated Schaerbeek, Brussels, has continued throughout recent years. Statistics from 2022 indicate more than 50,000 thefts took place in Brussels, and Schaerbeek contributed significantly to these figures.
The high number of criminal activities in this crowded urban district stems from its many pedestrians. Brussels police dedicated their resources to street crime prevention measures in the last year, and interventions have increased by 15% throughout 2023. When ensuring public safety and using appropriate force in critical situations, police officers face the difficult choice presented by this incident.
