Police officer killed in suspected Brussels terror attack

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. Photo / AP

A lone assailant killed one police officer and wounded another Thursday in a stabbing attack that two Belgian judicial officials said was suspected to be terrorism-linked. The suspect was shot and taken to a hospital.

Eric Van der Sypt, from the federal prosecutor’s office, told the Associated Press the suspect was wounded by another police officers after the stabbing.

Van der Sypt added that investigators suspected the attack took place in a “terrorist context”. The prosecutor’s office told AP it took over the case because there is “a suspicion of a terror attack”.

Police attend the scene of an incident in Brussels. Photo / AP

“One of our patrols was attacked by a man armed with a knife,” police said, quoted by the newspaper Le Soir. “The two police officers then 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.”

Le Soir said one of the officers was stabbed in the neck and died from his injuries.

The newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws reported the suspect had gone to a police station Thursday morning warning that he would kill an officer. 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 7.15pm.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo posted a message of condolences 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.”

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.