One person was injured after they were shot on the square in front of the town hall in the Brussels municipality of Anderlecht early on Monday evening. At around about the same time a second person was stabbed on the street just a couple of hundred metres away. It is still unclear whether the two incidents are linked.
The Brussels Fire Service, whose ambulance attended the scene, says that the shooting took place at around 6pm. Both the Brussels South Local Police Service and the Mayor of Anderlecht Fabrice Cumps (Francophone socialist) confirm that the incidents took place but say that the exact circumstances surrounding them are still unclear.
At around the same time as the shooting there was a stabbing just a couple of hundred metres away in the Hoedstraat. The victim was found lying in the street by firefighters, the Brussels Fire Service spokesman Walter Derieuw told the Brussels regional news platform Bruzz.
There is no news on the condition of either of the victims. It is as yet still unclear as to whether the two incidents are linked.
Rapid response
The mayor of Anderlecht Frabrice Cumps was present inside the town hall when the shooting occurred. Speaking on Monday evening, he said that he presumes that it was drug related.
Mr Cumps was keen to stress that the police were at the scene very quickly (within 3 minutes). He says that this is proof that the police presence in the area has been strengthened in the light of the increase in drug-related gun crime there.