A Brussels police officer was fatally shot during the night of October 12–13 while intercepting a vehicle stolen in a carjacking, the Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed.
The officer, a member of the Anti-Aggression Brigade (Brigade Anti-Agression/BAA, also referred to as the Anti-Robbery Squad) of the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police zone, died in hospital after being shot in the head, according to media reports.
Reports describe the shooting as occurring at close range; the victim was described in some accounts as a 41-year-old father.
The incident reportedly began with a carjacking in Tubize (Walloon Brabant).
An ANPR camera reportedly later detected the vehicle in the Brussels West police zone (covering Koekelberg, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Jette and Ganshoren).
Officers, including those from the BAA unit, which handles higher-risk interventions, responded.
According to sources close to the investigation, the officer is believed to have pursued a suspect in Jette, who then opened fire on the police. The precise sequence of events remains under investigation.
Three weapons were reportedly recovered from the stolen car afterwards.
A suspect was later arrested, according to media reports, though the full circumstances remain under investigation.
The prosecutor’s office attended the scene with an investigating judge; a press conference is scheduled for later today.
The same night saw a separate fatal shooting in Ixelles in which a man died.
The Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed both incidents. Any link between them has not yet been established; according to initial media reports, they appear to be unrelated.
Interior and Security Minister Bernard Quintin (MR) said he was “deeply moved” and “profoundly shaken” by the “tragic death” of the officer during an intervention.
He stated that the perpetrator or perpetrators “will face the full force of the law” and that the prosecutor’s office is investigating to establish the exact circumstances. His thoughts were with the family, relatives and colleagues of the officer from PolBru (the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police zone).
Defence Minister Theo Francken said he was “deeply affected” and offered condolences, adding that “behind every uniform there is a human being” whose family and friends await them at home.
Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden also conveyed her thoughts to the family, relatives and colleagues of the deceased inspector, acknowledging their distress and grief.
Brussels Mayor Philippe Close (PS) visited the scene overnight with police chief Michel Goovaerts, joining Brussels Public Prosecutor Julien Moinil and investigators.
Close described learning of the death “with much emotion,” noting that police work is difficult and that the risks taken daily to protect others are not always fully appreciated.
He offered condolences to the family, relatives, colleagues and the broader Brussels police family, stressing that these public-service officers watch over safety every day.
The Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police zone stated it was “in mourning” and expressed “deep sadness and great dismay.”
It extended heartfelt condolences to the family, loved ones and colleagues, saying the entire force stands in solidarity during these difficult hours.
The investigation continues. Further details on the precise sequence of events, the suspects and any connection to the Ixelles incident are expected from the prosecutor’s office.
The killing comes against a backdrop of persistently high levels of gun violence in the Brussels-Capital Region, frequently linked to drug trafficking and related disputes.
According to figures released by the prosecutor’s office, 69 shootings had been recorded since the start of 2026 by August 28.
Brussels Public Prosecutor Julien Moinil has repeatedly warned that “any citizen can get shot,” noting the risk to bystanders from stray fire and the spread of incidents beyond previously designated “hotspot” areas.
Military-grade weapons have featured in some recent cases, and violence has continued despite hotspot strategies and targeted operations.
The VSOA police union noted that the officer is the 36th police employee to die on duty in Belgium over the past 25 years.
Notre zone de police est en deuil.
⚫ C'est avec une profonde tristesse et une vive émotion que nous avons appris le décès, en service, de notre collègue de la Brigade Anti-Agression (BAA) à Jette.
Nous adressons nos plus sincères condoléances à sa famille, à ses proches ainsi… pic.twitter.com/7hgcS4tPMH
— PolBru (@zpz_polbru) October 13, 2026
