Brussels was brought to a standstill last night after two people were killed when a gunman claiming to be a member of ISIS went on a rampage and opened fire on a group of Swedish football fans.
The gunman is said to have begun shooting at the men as they passed through Boulevard d'Ypres just a few minutes north of the city's famous Grand Plaza. The Swedes were wearing their team's jerseys and were believed to be on their way to a match at King Baudouin Stadium, where Sweden were playing Belgium.
A third person is said to be seriously injured. The alleged attacker, named by local media as Abdesalem Lassoued, used the name 'Slayem Slouma' to boast about the two murders on Facebook , adding he sought to avenge the killing of a six-year-old US-Palestinian boy. The shooter remains at large. Police confirmed that the man in the video - wearing an orange jacket, black scarf, yellow baseball hat and heavy black beard - was the one they were searching for in relation to the attack.
The match between Belgium and Sweden was later abandoned, with players and fans locked inside the stadium for two and a half hours until they were allowed out. The city's terror alert has been raised to a level 4 - its highest, with the spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor telling people to 'Go home and stay at home as long as the threat has not been eradicated'.
Police spokeswoman Ilse Vande Keere said officers arrived soon at the scene in Brussels, and sealed off the immediate neighbourhood. The shooting took place in Boulevard d'Ypres just a few minutes north of the city's famous Grand Plaza. A picture of the man - said to be involved in today's shooting in Brussels - was captured in mobile phone footage.
