Belgian police shot dead the suspected ISIS gunman, Abdesalem Lassoued, 45, in a café in Schaerbeek, Brussels, on Monday following an extensive manhunt. Armed law enforcement confronted Lassoued and engaged in gunfire after cornering him inside a café in the Schaerbeek neighborhood of Brussels at 8 a.m.
The gunman sustained chest injuries from the shooting. Lassoued had killed two Swedish football fans in Brussels with an automatic rifle the previous night. Later, an ambulance transported the injured Lassoued to the hospital, and his scooter, believed to be the one he used to flee the scene after the terror attack, was removed. The automatic rifle used by Lassoued was found on his person.
Killed at Last
Local media initially presented conflicting reports regarding the attacker's condition, with some indicating he was wounded but survived the police encounter. However, Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden later verified that Lassoued had been shot and killed by the police during the arrest.
Verlinden confirmed, "The perpetrator of the terrorist attack in Brussels has been identified and has died."
Prime Minister Alexander de Croo had mentioned earlier that the suspect was of Tunisian origin and had been residing in the country without legal authorization prior to carrying out what he described as a brutal terrorist attack.
The gunman opened fire on a taxi carrying a group of Swedish football supporters as they traveled along Boulevard d'Ypres, a short distance north of Brussels' renowned Grand Place. This incident occurred shortly before Belgium's Euro 2024 qualifier against Sweden.
However, the match was abandoned at half-time and the crowd was instructed to stay inside the stadium.
After he opened fire, several people sought refuge inside an apartment building. However, Lassoued pursued them and fired again in the entrance hall, stating that this attack was a form of revenge for the killing of a six-year-old US-Palestinian boy.
Disturbing footage captured by witnesses appears to show the assailant on a motorcycle targeting and shooting people in public.
Other images circulating on the internet show a victim's body inside a taxi. Dramatic video later appeared to show Lassoued in a vibrant orange jacket fleeing from the scene on a motorcycle, with a bystander following closely in pursuit.
"The terrorist attack that happened yesterday was committed with total cowardice, the attacker chose as a target two Swedish football fans," de Croo told a news conference, adding that a third person - a taxi driver - was seriously wounded.
"Terrorism strikes indiscriminately," he said, adding, "It aims to sow fear, mistrust and division in our free societies. Terrorists must know that they will never achieve their goals.
"They will never make us bend. Their hatred and violence only prove their powerlessness."
Chilling Final Video
In the aftermath of the attack, Lassoued used the alias 'Slayem Slouma' to proudly announce the two killings on Facebook.
The alleged attacker is said to have indicated that his actions were in retaliation for the fatal stabbing of six-year-old US-Palestinian boy, Wadea Al-Fayoume, who was tragically killed in Plainfield, Illinois, on Saturday morning.
Wadea Al-Fayoume endured a horrifying attack, suffering 26 stab wounds, while his mother, Hanaan Shahin, was subjected to over a dozen stabbings. The killer, identified as Joseph Czuba, 71, allegedly screamed "You Muslims must die!" during the brutal attack. Czuba faces charges of murder in connection with the tragic death of the young boy.
Hours before the shooting, Lassoued used the name Slayem Slouma and shared a post on Facebook saying that the attack was in revenge for Wadea's murder. If the boy was Christian "it would have been called terrorism and not a brutal crime," he wrote.
Following the shooting, he recorded a video saying, "Islamic greeting Allahu Akbar. My name is Abdesalem Al Guilani and I am a fighter for Allah. I am from the Islamic State. We love who loves us and we hate who hates us.
"We live for our religion and we die for our religion. Alhamdulah. Your brother took revenge in the name of Muslims. I have killed three Swedes so far Al hamdoulelah. Three Swedish, yes. Those to whom I have done something wrong, may they forgive me. And I forgive everyone. Salam Aleykoum."
The Swedish victims, dressed in their national team's jerseys, were on their way to a match at King Baudouin Stadium, where Sweden was scheduled to play against Belgium. Two supporters were killed in the attack, while a third person suffered severe injuries.
The match between Belgium and Sweden was ultimately called off. Players and fans were confined within the stadium as a precautionary measure.
A UEFA spokesperson said: "Following a suspected terrorist attack in Brussels this evening, it has been decided, after consultation with the two teams and the local police authorities, that the qualifying match between Belgium and Sweden is abandoned.
"Further communication will be made in due course."
In response to the incident in Brussels, the OCAD anti-terror center raised the terror alert for the entire country to its second-highest level, signifying an escalated state of vigilance and security measures across Belgium.
