Source:
https://scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/2145435/panic-erupts-gun-fired-crowd-belgian-train-station
World/ Europe

Panic erupts as gun is fired in crowd in Belgian train station

Police said surveillance video showed one suspect shooting into the ground in Brussels’ busy Midi station on Wednesday

Police set up a safety perimeter at the Brussels train station where a small blast during the evening rush hour caused a brief panic on Wednesday. Photo: AP

A gun shot into the ground caused panic at Brussels’ busy Midi train station, setting off a major police operation and forcing two platforms to close Wednesday.

Brussels police said surveillance video showed one suspect shooting downward with a gun just after 5pm CET (midday EDT, midnight HKT) before fleeing the station. Some of the evening rush-hour commuters bolted out after hearing the shot.

Ine Van Wymersch of the prosecutor’s office said that police immediately arrived at the scene and closed off part of the building for further checks.

A police officer speaks on a mobile phone next to a safety perimeter at a Brussels train station after reports of an incident Wednesday. Police said that a suspect fired a gun in a crowd, causing panic, but that nobody was killed or injured. Photo: AP
A police officer speaks on a mobile phone next to a safety perimeter at a Brussels train station after reports of an incident Wednesday. Police said that a suspect fired a gun in a crowd, causing panic, but that nobody was killed or injured. Photo: AP

She said that no one was injured and that authorities were searching for the suspect. The area where the shot was fired was cordoned off.

The bullet shells have been recovered and sent to the lab for ballistic checks, she said.

Major Belgian media reported that a “detonation” had caused Brussels Midi station to be evacuated by the police. Both the police and prosecutors denied it. 

Police and security services are still a very visible presence in Belgium’s main rail stations following the 2016 bomb attacks at the airport and subway system which killed 32 people.