Brussels police zones activate unified ‘Gold Commander’ after shooting wave
Brussels’ six police zones placed operations under a single Gold Commander on Wednesday after a series of shootings, concentrating officers and specialist units in the worst-affected neighbourhoods.
In 30 seconds
- All six Brussels police zones are moving under one operational Gold command.
- Some 170 specialist local officers will fall under the unified structure, according to BX1.
- The federal government is adding a public-order platoon of around 50 officers.
- Federal Police figures show 57 Brussels shootings through 31 July 2026, with two deaths and 21 injuries.
Updated 26 August 2026, 17:20 CEST — ’ six police zones placed their operations under a single Gold Commander on Wednesday afternoon, 26 August, after a series of shootings across the capital. The Brussels Conference of Mayors said the system takes effect immediately and will reinforce police deployments, particularly during evenings and nights and around identified violence hotspots. No end date or commander’s name had been announced by the time of publication.
BX1 reported that the unified structure will coordinate all six local forces and place 170 officers from specialist assistance units under common operational direction. The mayors also ordered the zones to strengthen rapid-response capacity and begin consolidating their dispatch centres at safe.brussels. The regional video-surveillance and automatic number-plate recognition service, ARGOS, is to move towards round-the-clock operation, according to BX1.
Federal Interior Minister Bernard Quintin separately announced an additional public-order platoon of around 50 police officers, increased deployment of federal special units and continued integrated operations against drug trafficking, BX1 reported. The minister also promised further structural reinforcement for Brussels’ federal judicial police, which investigates the criminal networks behind the violence.
The intervention follows several shootings in the Brussels-South police zone, covering Anderlecht, Saint-Gilles and Forest. The Brussels Times, citing local police, reported that gunfire struck an Anderlecht police station on Friday night. Further incidents injured two people, sent a bullet into an occupied home and forced customers at a Saint-Gilles pizzeria to take cover. Investigators have not established publicly that all the incidents are connected.
Police detained two people in Saint-Gilles early Tuesday and recovered two military-style firearms, two handguns, scooters and ammunition, according to Brussels-South police as reported by The Brussels Times. Their possible involvement in the recent shootings remains under investigation.
Where this is happening
View on map Brussels →The Federal Police recorded 57 shootings in the Brussels-Capital Region between 1 January and 31 July 2026, with two deaths and 21 injuries, according to figures reported by BRUZZ. Its 2025 annual report recorded 101 shootings during that year, regardless of motive.
Brussels Minister-President Boris Dilliès also convened the Regional Security Council for 18:00 on Wednesday. BRUZZ said the meeting would bring together federal and regional authorities, prosecutors, mayors and police representatives. Further decisions from that meeting were still pending at this update.
What to do
People living or working in the affected Brussels neighbourhoods should expect a stronger police presence, particularly during the evening, and should follow temporary instructions around active operations. Allow extra time if a police cordon or concentrated deployment affects a local journey. In an immediate emergency or if gunfire is heard, move away from the area and contact emergency services rather than approaching or recording the scene. The next concrete development to watch is the outcome of the Regional Security Council meeting scheduled for 18:00 on 26 August, including any changes to deployment areas or duration.
Impact
Regional — The measures apply across the Brussels-Capital Region, with initial resources concentrated in neighbourhoods identified by police as shooting hotspots, especially within the Brussels-South zone.
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Voices & reactions
What the main actors are doing
Reported positions, summarised — not direct quotationsBrussels-South mayors
The mayors of Anderlecht, Saint-Gilles and Forest describe the shooting wave as a national problem and demand a federal action plan, sustained federal-police reinforcement and stronger investigative capacity against organised criminal networks.
Federal Interior Ministry
Interior Minister Bernard Quintin has announced extra federal deployments while arguing that local authorities must also use their administrative powers, including restrictions around gathering places and action against businesses linked to trafficking.
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