Three people were injured, including one seriously, in a knife attack late Monday afternoon in Brussels, in a metro station, according to a new report from the Belgian police, who arrested the assailant.
"Knife attack in the Schuman station: the collaboration with the various police services (...) allowed the rapid arrest of the author", tweeted the mayor of Brussels Philippe Close.
After initially reporting only one injured, federal police told AFP that a total of three people were injured in the attack, one of whom was "in critical condition".
The police did not comment on the motives of the assailant. The federal prosecutor's office indicated that it had not been seized "at this stage".
According to a source familiar with the matter, the person arrested "was already known for a psychiatric history".
The attack occurred around 6:00 p.m. in the Schuman metro station, located a few dozen meters from the headquarters of the European Commission and the European Council.
"Emotion in the European district. Warm thoughts for the victims. Thank you to the security forces", reacted on Twitter the President of the European Council Charles Michel, also former Belgian Prime Minister.
"My thoughts are with the victims (...) Thank you to the police for their prompt intervention," said Belgian Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden.
According to an AFP journalist present at the scene, several plainclothes police then rushed to a station platform.
At the same time, a woman urged passengers entering the station to turn back, reporting the presence inside of a person armed with a knife.
Traffic remained interrupted in the early evening on part of the two metro lines passing through Schuman station, the police continuing their investigation on the spot, according to the Brussels transport operator (Stib).
30/01/2023 21:23:42 - Bruxelles (AFP) - © 2023 AFP
