Saint-Gilles experiences three consecutive days of shootings

The municipality of Saint-Gilles in Brussels has experienced three consecutive days of gun violence. The most recent incident occurred Monday evening around 21:00 at a junction near a pizza restaurant, where an automatic weapon was used. No injuries were reported, though customers in a nearby pizzeria were forced to take cover.

This follows a Saturday incident at the same location where a man was shot in the leg, and a Sunday morning shooting near Porte de Hal where a bullet entered a residential window. These events follow a separate incident in Anderlecht where shots were fired at a police station on Rue Démosthène.

Saint-Gilles Mayor Jean Spinette expressed fury over the violence, stating “Brussels must be respected.” He is calling for increased resources, including 80 additional officers for criminal investigations, more capacity in juvenile detention centers, and enhanced powers for the public prosecutor’s office to trace criminal networks and deport undocumented migrants involved in crime.