A 49-year-old man was shot dead Thursday morning after an armed incident in Anderlecht, Brussels, according to Belgian media reports. The victim was shot in the chest near the Westland Shopping mall at around 9 a.m., the Brussels Times, citing the Brussels prosecutor’s office, reported.

The circumstances of the attack remain unclear and no suspects have been identified so far. The case has already been referred to an investigator on charges of manslaughter, and intensive searches are being carried out at the scene by police authorities, according to Le Soir.

Increase in armed crime

The incident is part of a wider context of increased armed violence that has been affecting Brussels recently. So far in 2025, over a dozen incidents of shootings have been recorded in the city, at least two of which have been fatal. In 2024, authorities had recorded a total of 92 shooting incidents, resulting in nine deaths.