King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians have said they are “shocked” after a terrorist went on a shooting spree in Brussels on the evening of 16 October.
The royal couple released a statement in English, French and Dutch on social media stating: “We are shocked by tonight’s shooting in our capital. Our thoughts are first and foremost with the victims, their families and loved ones. We support the security forces who are currently doing their utmost to track down the perpetrator.”
The shooting spree occurred as people were in town to watch the Belgium-Sweden Euro 2024 qualifier football match being played in the Belgian capital. The game has since been abandoned. Swedish athletes said they didn’t want to play the second half, and their Belgian counterparts agreed.
Police have confirmed that two people are dead after the attack, both of whom are Swedish citizens. An additional person of unknown nationality has been injured.
A spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor, Eric van Duyse, told Reuters that the assailant claimed to be inspired by the Islamic State, adding: “Go home and stay at home as long as the threat has not been eradicated.”
The gunman is still at large, and Belgium has raised its terror alert to its highest level.
The Belgian police have said they are investigating the matter as terrorism.
