Police shoot driver dead
Brussels police have shot dead the driver of a car they were pursuing. Police were trying to stop the car in the Brussels suburb of Molenbeek and fired shots killing the driver, when he tried to run themp down. A second individual in the car is now under arrest.
Police started their chase in downtown Brussels around 5:30 AM as a result of a traffic offence. The car stopped on the Ninoofsesteenweg in Sint-Jans-Molenbeek and one person got out. When police tried to arrest him, the driver turned and tried to run down the police. Police say that the driver failed to follow police orders and tried to run down several policemen. Police then fired one shot. The driver was hit in the stomach, but continued to drive. Police managed to stop him 300 metres further down the road.
Olivier Slosse of Brussels police: “There were two people in the car. One was hit and critically injured. He was taken to hospital where he died. Police detained the second person in the car.”
The victim is a 29-year-old French national. The second person in the car, who is known to the police, was detained and is being questioned.
Police were pursuing the car because of a traffic violation. The car with French number plates was driving on a tram lane and failed to stop when requested.
The police watchdog Committee P will now investigate the police operation.
