Overnight shooting in Brussels leaves 2 injured, with 1 in critical condition

ISTANBUL

Two people were injured, one of them critically, in a shooting early Thursday in Brussels, police said, as concerns mount over rising drug-related violence.

The Brussels-Midi police said gunshots were reported around 2.30 a.m. local time (0130GMT) in the Anderlecht district, near the Clemenceau metro station, public broadcaster RTBF reported.

One victim was shot in the calf, while the other sustained a shoulder injury and is in critical condition, police said.

It remains unclear whether any suspects have been arrested. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

The shooting comes amid a rise in drug-related violence in Brussels, including two murders in February.

The area around Clemenceau metro station has been the site of several shootings and stabbings in recent months.

Belgium remains a key entry point for drugs in Europe, with Brussels increasingly seen as a hub for distribution from the port of Antwerp.

Local media have linked the rising violence to a security gap following an eight-month deadlock in forming a government after the June 2024 elections.