Police have not yet identified or located the shooters. No injuries were reported, but the incident caused disruptions in transportation
Belgian authorities launched a search operation on Wednesday after gunshots were fired near a metro station in Brussels.
According to local police, the incident occurred around 6:00 AM (0500 GMT) outside Clémenceau metro station. The gunfire led to disruptions on several metro and tram lines, as well as the closure of Midi train station in the southern part of the city.
Surveillance footage obtained by RTBF showed two masked individuals carrying automatic rifles near the metro station, with at least one of them discharging shots. Another video captured heavily armed police officers assembling at the scene as they began the search for the suspects.
“Video footage shows two people, one of whom was armed. The shots were fired into the air, and no one was injured,” a police spokesperson told AFP.
Authorities suspect the shooting may be linked to drug trafficking, ruling out any terrorist motives.
The suspects reportedly fled into the metro system, using tunnels beneath one of the city’s main railway stations to escape, the police spokesperson added.
A source close to the case confirmed that officers were searching for at least two individuals, although it was possible that more were involved.
Due to the incident, metro lines 2 and 6 were suspended between Trône and Gare de l’Ouest, while tram services 4 and 10 were interrupted between Lemonnier and Berkendael. The Stib transport company also warned of delays on other tram routes.
In response, police set up a command post in the Anderlecht district, near the location of the shooting.
Belgium’s Interior Minister, Bernard Quintin, joined the mayor of Anderlecht and law enforcement officials at City Hall on Wednesday morning to discuss the situation. “We are closely following the developments,” he stated on X.
Witnesses described the tense atmosphere. One resident told Belgian broadcaster VRT that they heard five or six shots, while another, who preferred to remain anonymous, admitted feeling fearful. “I stepped outside and wondered what was happening. Is this a war? We send our children to school, we take the metro—we are scared.”
Brussels has seen a rise in gun-related violence linked to rival drug gangs. Local reports citing police data indicate that 89 shootings occurred in the city last year, resulting in nine deaths.
(Sources: AFP, EFE)
