Police in Belgium shot dead a suspected Tunisian extremist accused of killing two Swedish soccer fans. The suspect was shot in a cafe on Tuesday, media said.
Two Swedish nationals were shot dead and a third one was wounded in central Brussels on Monday night and a man who identified himself as a member of ISIS claimed responsibility in a video posted online.
The suspect fled the scene after the shooting as a football match between Belgium and Sweden was about to start, triggering a massive manhunt and prompting Belgium to raise its terror alert to the highest level.
"The weapon with which the attacks were committed has been found this morning where the man was apprehended in (the Brussels borough of) Schaerbeek," Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden told VRT broadcaster.
"We are checking fingerprints to be 100% sure."
Federal prosecutors said they could not yet confirm the identity of the person shot but the Belgian capital's mayor Philippe Close told BFM TV: "It seems indeed the suspect has been neutralized."
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo called Monday's shooting a brutal "terrorist attack".
"Last night three people left for what was supposed to be a wonderful soccer party. Two of them lost their lives in a brutal terrorist attack," De Croo told a news conference.
"The perpetrator targeted specifically Swedish supporters who were in Brussels to attend a Red Devils soccer match. Two Swedish compatriots passed away. A third person is recovering from severe injures," de Croo said.
Belgium was hosting Sweden in a Euro 2024 qualifying match on Monday evening. The match was abandoned at halftime.
The attacker, who unsuccessfully sought asylum in Belgium in November 2019, was known to police in connection with people smuggling, Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne told a news conference.
He was also considered a risk to state security.
