A girl of eleven has been shot dead when her home in Merksem (Antwerp) came under fire. Antwerp Mayor Bart De Wever (Flemish nationalist) speaks of a settling of accounts among drug traffickers.
The incident happened in the Antwerp district of Merksem around 6:30 PM on Monday evening. “We received reports a garage door had come under fire” explains Antwerp police’s Willem Migom. “Police found bullet marks and cartridge cases”.
The garage door shielded a living space and not a garage. “There were people behind the door” explains Migom. “An 11-year-old child was seriously injured in the shooting. The child later died in hospital of her injuries”.
Mayor De Wever speaks of a microwave oven that exploded as a result of the shooting. A post-mortem will establish whether the child died as a result of a gunshot wound or not. Two other minors were less seriously hurt. The family is receiving support from victim support teams and liaison officers.
Detectives have launched an investigation with forensic scientists and weapons experts are also attending the scene.