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.
Gunfire reached residential windows and a busy hospitality area where children were present. The incidents therefore pose a direct public-safety risk beyond people involved in criminal disputes and test whether fragmented local and federal authorities can mobilise enough investigators and officers.
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, 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. mayor told 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. 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 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 . A police station in Anderlecht was also fired on late Friday, according to . Authorities have not confirmed that every incident belongs to the same criminal network.
Residents interviewed by 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 , 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.
The immediate questions now sit with 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.
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.
Local — Saint-Gilles residents experienced gunfire on three consecutive days, including shots near a pizzeria and rounds reaching residential windows. The reported presence of children in a busy hospitality area underscores the risk to people with no connection to criminal disputes. The concern extends across the Brussels South police zone: the mayors of Saint-Gilles, Anderlecht and Forest are seeking additional national support, while the wider regional outbreak has also included Molenbeek.
What it means for you
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.
Opposing perspectives
- Saint-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.
Who, where and what
Key people, places and terms in this story
Federal interior minister who responded to the shootings and the continuing fight against violence.
Brussels municipality where three consecutive days of shootings occurred and two people were detained.
Capital region in which BRUZZ counted six shooting incidents from Friday through Monday.
Municipality in the Brussels South police zone whose mayor joined the request for national action.
Brussels municipality identified as part of the wider regional outbreak of shootings.
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Federal interior minister who responded to the shootings and the continuing fight against violence.
Mayor of Saint-Gilles calling for a stronger federal response to shooting violence.
Brussels municipality where three consecutive days of shootings occurred and two people were detained.
Capital region in which BRUZZ counted six shooting incidents from Friday through Monday.
Municipality in the Brussels South police zone whose mayor joined the request for national action.
Brussels municipality identified as part of the wider regional outbreak of shootings.
Municipality in the Brussels South police zone whose mayor joined the request for national action.
Gunfire near a pizzeria at about 21:30, with no reported injury, marking the third consecutive day of shootings.
Earlier firearm incident in Saint-Gilles in which two people were killed.
Local police zone involved in the response, arrests and weapons seizure.
Judicial authority responsible for the criminal investigation and prosecution decisions.
Federal institution responsible for national policing and security policy addressed by calls for support.
Brussels news outlet reporting the arrests, weapons seizure, political response and regional incident count.
Belgian newspaper reporting on the Saint-Gilles shootings and residents’ concerns.
Belgian public-service news outlet providing background on the deadly June 2024 Saint-Gilles shooting.
Sources & evidence
- View sourceDe StandaardPrimaryprimary· standaard.be· 25 August 2026Retrieved 25 August 2026· 38 days ago· Dated
- View sourceBRUZZ — arrests and weapons seizurecorroborating· bruzz.be· 25 August 2026Retrieved 25 August 2026· 38 days ago· Dated
- View sourceBRUZZ — mayors demand national actioncorroborating· bruzz.be· 25 August 2026Retrieved 25 August 2026· 38 days ago· Dated
- View sourceBRUZZ — Interior Minister’s responsecorroborating· bruzz.be· 25 August 2026Retrieved 25 August 2026· 38 days ago· Dated
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This briefing was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by a Belgium Impulse editor before publication. methodology.