Sint-Niklaas (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Following a shooting incident, Sint-Niklaas police have deployed additional patrols at Vitaz Hospital to enhance security and reassure the public.
Following a horrific incident last week that left three persons critically injured, there was an increase in presence. The hospital in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, is treating them.
“The main purpose of these extra patrols was to allay any concerns among hospital staff, visitors, and patients,”
says Acting Mayor Peter Buysrogge (N-VA).
“There was no identifiable or immediate threat to the hospital itself.”
The patrols are part of the standard rounds of the emergency response units on duty.
“They passed the hospital, stopped, got out to check if everything was in order, and briefly walked into the main entrance and the emergency room to speak with the reception staff,”
explains Peter Buysrogge.
“The local officers were not present in the rest of the hospital buildings.”
There is no external threat, according to statistics from the public prosecutor’s office, so it has been agreed to reduce daytime patrols after consulting with the hospital. Patrols at night will continue.
One of the two shooting victims who are still in the hospital is in critical condition. The shooting occurred at 2:10 a.m. on Friday morning on Grote Heimelinkstraat and Entrepotstraat, outside the center of Sint-Niklaas, and left three people seriously injured and one slightly injured. Eight persons have been taken into custody by police, including hospitalized injured individuals.
How has the local community in Sint-Niklaas reacted to the incident and subsequent security measures?
The local community in Sint-Niklaas has responded to the recent shooting and subsequent increased police presence at the Vitaz hospital with a mixture of concern, anxiety, and calls for enhanced public safety measures.
Though specific reactions directly tied to the hospital security efforts are limited in official public statements, the broader context of rising violence in Sint-Niklaas and surrounding areas reflects a growing unease among residents about neighborhood safety and the prevalence of violent crimes.
The shooting, which left three people seriously injured and receiving treatment at Vitaz hospital, follows other violent incidents—including stabbings and shootings—that have heightened tension in the region.
