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BELGIUM-SHOOTING-DEATH
Man kills 3, including two police officers, in Belgium shooting
BRUSSELS, May 29, 2018 (BSS/Xinhua) – Two police officers and a passenger
in a car were killed in a shooting on Tuesday in the center of Belgian city
Liege, Belgian newspaper Derniere Heure reported citing police.
Two other police officers were injured in the incident. The perpetrator was
later shot down by the anti-banditry platoon (PAB) of Liege’s armed forces.
Around 10:30 a.m. (GMT 0830) on Tuesday morning, loud gunshots were heard
in the city center of Liege.
During a routine check near the Cafe des Augustins, an individual managed
to disarm a police officer and open fire. As a result, two policemen and
another passerby in his car were killed.
The motives of the attacker was unknown yet, according to Catherine
Collignon, the spokesperson of the prosecutor of Liege, who refused to
confirm certain press reports that the armed man shouted “Allah Akbar”.
However, according to the RTBF, investigations into the shooting suggested
the incident was likely an act of terrorism.
After shooting, the attacker then fled from the scene and held a
housekeeper hostage at nearby Waha High School. Security forces were called
to the scene and later arrested the gunman around 11 a.m. local time.
Mayor of Liege, Willy Demeyer, quickly made his waydown to where the
incident took place and is in contact with the chief of corps.
Belgium’s Interior Minister Jan Jambon tweeted that the federal crisis
center is closely monitoring the situation for further clues.
Shortly after the arrest, a load of ambulances arrived on the scene and the
entrance to the Boulevard d’Avroy where the incident took place was reopened.
BSS/XINHUA/FI/1714 hrs