Prosecutors and police in Antwerp have released images of two men they suspect could have been involved in an attack in the city’s Merksem district that left an 11-year-old girl dead. The images show two men and a car that were in the area before and after the attack.
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Images released of 2 men suspected of possible involvement in an attack that left an 11-year-old girl dead
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The public prosecutor's office is not yet certain that the men were involved in the shooting. "It could just be a series of coincidences, and that these men have nothing to do with the cases, but even then the police would like to speak to them so that this avenue of enquiry can be closed”, the Public Prosecutor’s Office said.
The attack took place at Nieuwdreef in Merksem at around 6.20pm on Monday 9 January 2023. Shots were fired towards a garage door behind which a family was having dinner. An 11-year-old girl Firdaous did not survive the attack. Her father and two sisters aged 18 and 13 were injured.
CCTV footage recorded an hour before the attack footage in nearby Houthulststraat and Vuurkruisenlaan shows two men.
"The first man points in the direction of Vuurkruisenlaan and Nieuwdreef and then they walk on, past the alley where the car was latter parked," the Public Prosecutor's Office said. "At 6.12pm, a grey Peugeot 308 drives down Houthulststraat and then turns into the alley. This alley leads to garages behind a house. Moments later, the first man emerges from the alley. He crosses the street and turns into the Vuurkruisenlaan. 250 metres further the Vuurkruisenlaan joins the Nieuwdreef where the attack took place”.
“The first man is probably between 20 and 30 years old and of normal build. He has dark hair and was wearing a long, light-coloured hooded jacket, dark trousers, and light shoes. He is seen smoking and was carrying an umbrella. The second man is also of normal build and has dark hair. He was wearing a long, light-coloured hooded coat, light trousers and dark shoes. He was riding a dark electric scooter with a white bag on its handlebars."
The car was an old model grey Peugeot 308. The bodywork above the right front wheel was black.
Anyone who knows either of the men or recognises themselves in the footage is asked to contact the police. Anyone who saw anything suspicious that evening is also asked to report it. This can be done by sending an email to opsporingen@police.belgium.eu and by telephoning freephone number 0800/30 300. Confidentiality is assured. The entire investigation report can be read at www.politie.be.