Two suspects and four firearms seized after three days of shootings in Saint-Gilles
Police detained two people and seized four firearms in Saint-Gilles overnight after gunfire near a pizzeria on Monday evening marked the municipality’s third consecutive day of shootings.
In 30 seconds
- Police detained two people overnight and seized two military-style weapons, two handguns, a magazine and two electric scooters.
- Shots were fired near a Saint-Gilles pizzeria at about 21:30 on 24 August; no injury was reported from that incident.
- Monday’s attack marked the third consecutive day on which shots were fired in Saint-Gilles.
- BRUZZ counted six shooting incidents across the Brussels Region from Friday through Monday.
Updated 25 August 2026, 15:30 CEST — Police detained two people in overnight from Monday to Tuesday and seized two military-style weapons, two handguns, a firearm magazine and two electric scooters, South police told . Investigators are examining whether the pair were involved in the shootings that struck the municipality over the preceding three days.
The arrests followed gunfire at about 21:30 on Monday, 24 August, near Montenegrostraat. Saint-Gilles mayor told BRUZZ that a gunman fired a Kalashnikov-style weapon close to children seated on a pizzeria terrace. No injuries from that incident had been reported by Tuesday afternoon. Police and prosecutors had not established publicly who fired, what the intended target was or whether the detained suspects were connected to that attack.
The latest shooting extended an extraordinary sequence. BRUZZ reported that a man was shot in the leg near the junction of Gustave Defnetstraat and Montenegrostraat on Saturday evening. Around 07:00 on Sunday, another bullet struck the bedroom window of a Fontainasstraat home while its resident was in bed. Early Monday, police found an injured person after another shooting on Vorstse Steenweg and detained two suspects during an initial search.
The violence forms part of a wider Brussels outbreak. Interior Minister told VRT Radio 1 that Monday’s gunfire was the sixth shooting incident in the Brussels Region since Friday, including incidents in and Molenbeek. A police station in Anderlecht was also fired on late Friday, according to BRUZZ. Authorities have not confirmed that every incident belongs to the same criminal network.
Residents interviewed by De Standaard described fear and frustration after repeated gunfire, with one raising the prospect of neighbourhood action against the state over inadequate protection. That suggestion remains a resident’s proposal, not a filed or adjudicated case.
After meeting Quintin on Tuesday, the mayors of Saint-Gilles, Anderlecht and demanded a national plan against drug-related violence. Spinette said he was considering formally requisitioning federal police under Article 43 of Belgium’s Police Function Act. Quintin called that option the mayor’s responsibility and said authorities would assess additional support. No firm reinforcement package was announced.
Where this is happening
View on map Saint-Gilles →The immediate questions now sit with Brussels prosecutors: whether the seized weapons match evidence from the shootings, whether the detained pair will face charges, and which incidents investigators can reliably connect. Prosecutor Julien Moinil is expected to provide further information on the renewed gun violence.
What to do
People living in or visiting Saint-Gilles should expect an active police investigation following the arrests and weapons seizure, but no general access restrictions or transport changes were reported. In an immediate emergency, call 101 for police or 112 for emergency assistance and avoid approaching firearms, suspects or an active police operation. Residents should monitor instructions from Brussels South police and Saint-Gilles authorities. The next concrete developments to watch are decisions on the mayors’ request for a national plan and confirmation from prosecutors about whether the detained people are linked to the shootings.
Impact
Regional — The immediate impact falls on Saint-Gilles, but the shootings form part of a Brussels-wide outbreak also involving Anderlecht and Molenbeek. The mayors of all three municipalities in the South police zone are requesting a national response.
EvidenceDeveloping · 1 primary source + 1 independent reporting source · Background sources: 1 · some details remain unconfirmedExplore evidence →Hide evidence ↑
- Published:
- 25 Aug 2026, 02:00
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 25 Aug 2026
- Published:
- 25 Aug 2026, 02:00
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 25 Aug 2026
- Published:
- 25 Aug 2026, 02:00
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 25 Aug 2026
- Published:
- 25 Aug 2026, 02:00
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 25 Aug 2026
- Published:
- 27 Jun 2024, 02:00
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 25 Aug 2026
Voices & reactions
What the main actors are doing
Reported positions, summarised — not direct quotationsSaint-Gilles residents and municipal mayors
Residents interviewed by De Standaard described persistent fear and questioned whether public authorities were meeting their duty to protect the neighbourhood. The mayors of Saint-Gilles, Anderlecht and Forest said local capacity was exhausted and called for federal reinforcement and a national plan.
Federal Interior Minister Bernard Quintin
Quintin said intensified pressure on drug networks was producing a violent reaction and argued that the campaign must continue. He pointed to previous federal investment, said local authorities also bear responsibility and stopped short of announcing a specific new reinforcement package.
The story, connected
Explore the people, places and ideas in this story
Go beyond the headline. Open a card for sourced context, maps, official links and the other subjects connected to this report.
Continue reading
This story was assembled from verified evidence, with its sources and reasoning recorded as it was written.