Police officer killed in suspected Brussels terror attack

A lone assailant killed one police officer and wounded another in a stabbing attack that Belgian officials suspect to be an act of terrorism.

The suspect allegedly shouted ‘Allahu akbar’ as he attacked the two officers near a train station in Brussels, local media reports. The Arabic phrase translates to ‘God is great’. 

It’s understood one officer was fatally stabbed in the neck while the other was shot in the groin. The suspect was shot and ‘neutralised’ by another officer and taken to a hospital, police say.

Eric Van der Sypt, from the federal prosecutor’s office, said investigators suspect the attack took place in a ‘terrorist context.’ 

One police officer is dead and another injured in a stabbing attack in Brussels, which a Belgian judicial official says is suspected to be terrorism-linked. The suspected attacker was shot and ‘neutralized’ after the stabbing Thursday evening, Belgian police said

Police attend the scene, near a train station in Brussels, were the suspect was ‘neutralised’ and taken to hospital

A lone assailant killed one police officer and wounded another in a stabbing attack that Belgian officials suspect to be an act of terrorism

The prosecutor’s office has taken over the case because there is ‘a suspicion of a terror attack,’ he said.

Police told local media the two officers who first responded to the disturbance ‘called for reinforcements’. 

‘An officer from another patrol used his firearm to neutralize the attacker. The two injured detectives and the assailant were taken to hospital.’

Local media also reported the suspect visited a police station on Thursday morning warning he planned to carry out an attack on officers.

He reportedly voluntarily checked himself into a psychiatric hospital but was released just hours before the tragedy.

The ACV police trade union said in a Facebook post that it had information a person had gone to police earlier in the day threatening an attack. It added that the judicial authorities did not arrest him.

According to Belgian media, the attacker shouted ‘Allahu akbar,’ the Arabic phrase for ‘God is great,’ during the attack, which occurred around 7:15 p.m 

Local media also reported the suspect visited a police station on Thursday morning warning he planned to carry out an attack on officers 

According to Belgian media, the attacker shouted ‘Allahu akbar,’ the Arabic phrase for ‘God is great,’ during the attack, which occurred around 7:15 p.m.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo offered a message of condolence to the family and friends of the dead officer.

‘Our police officers risk their lives every day to ensure the safety of our citizens,’ he said. ‘Today´s tragedy demonstrates this once again.’

Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden said she was in contact with the Brussels mayor, police chief and security services to coordinate the response to the attack. ‘Such violence against our people is unacceptable,’ she said.

Belgium has been hit by several terror attacks in the past decade, including suicide bombings in 2016 that killed 32 people and injured hundreds more in the Brussels subway and airport.

The prosecutor’s office has taken over the case because there is ‘a suspicion of a terror attack’

Belgium has been hit by several terror attacks in the past decade, including suicide bombings in 2016 that killed 32 people and injured hundreds more in the Brussels subway and airport