Four dead in suspected 'terror' shooting in Belgian city

Forensic police investigate the scene of a shooting in Liege, Belgium. Both officers killed were women. Pic/AP

A gunman yesterday shot dead two police officers with their own weapons before killing a bystander in a brazen suspected terror attack in Belgium, briefly taking a hostage at a school before being killed by police.

The carnage in Liege began when the attacker armed with a knife stabbed two police officers repeatedly before using their own firearms to kill them, prosecutors said. Federal prosecutors said they had launched a terrorist investigation into the incident, which comes with Belgium on high alert after a string of attacks including twin suicide bombings in Brussels in 2016 claimed by the Islamic State group.

"Armed with a knife, the suspect followed and attacked two police officers, and used their own firearms to kill them," prosecutor Philippe Dulieu said. "He continued on foot, attacking a parked vehicle where he opened fire on a 22-year-old man in the passenger seat. The young man died.

"He then entered the Leonie de Waha school. He took a woman working there as hostage. Police intervened, he came out firing on the police officers, wounding several before he was killed." Eric Van Der Sypt, spokesman for the Belgian federal prosecutor's office, said there were "elements that point in the direction that this is a terrorist act".

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