Belgium-Sweden Euro qualifier abandoned after shooting

Thousands of soccer followers have been stored inside Belgium’s nationwide stadium for about 2½ hours Monday after a sport between Belgium and Sweden was abandoned at halftime as a result of a gunman fatally shot two Swedish individuals in Brussels earlier than kickoff.

The European Championship qualifier was being performed some 3 miles from the shooting within the heart of the Belgian capital, and greater than 35,000 followers attended the match. With the suspect then nonetheless at massive and reportedly concentrating on Swedes, Belgian authorities stored followers contained in the venue for safety causes earlier than beginning the evacuation round midnight native time.

Belgian police on Tuesday shot lifeless a 45-year-old Tunisian man accused of the killings. The unidentified man, a suspected extremist, was shot as police tried to arrest him. He later died in a hospital. A army weapon and a bag of garments have been discovered on the person, who allegedly posted a video on-line claiming to have killed Swedish individuals and saying he was “ready to sacrifice himself” for the Quran.

“The perpetrator of the terrorist attack in Brussels has been identified and died,” inside minister Annelies Verlinden posted Tuesday on social media.

“Last night, three people left for what was supposed to be a wonderful soccer party. Two of them lost their lives in a brutal terrorist attack,” Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo mentioned at a information convention simply earlier than daybreak. “Their lives were cut short in full flight, cut down by extreme brutality.”

De Croo mentioned his ideas have been with the victims’ households and that he had despatched his condolences to Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson. Security has been beefed up within the capital, notably round locations linked to the Swedish group within the metropolis.

“The attack that was launched yesterday was committed with total cowardice,” De Croo mentioned.

Kristersson mentioned “everything indicates this is a terrorist attack against Sweden and Swedish citizens, just because they are Swedish.” He mentioned the suspect had often stayed in Sweden however was not on police recordsdata there.

De Croo mentioned the assailant was a Tunisian man residing illegally in Belgium who used a army weapon to kill the 2 Swedes and shoot a 3rd, who’s being handled for “severe injuries.”

Fans chanted “All together” contained in the King Baudouin Stadium after Monday’s match was halted, with 1000’s of supporters from each side additionally shouting “Sweden!”

Manu Leroy, the CEO of the Belgian soccer union, mentioned he found 10 minutes earlier than kickoff that “something serious” had occurred in downtown Brussels.

“It was decided in the first place that the match should go ahead because the stadium was the safest place to be at the time, so that the fans could stay here and be safe,” he mentioned.

Fans remained affected person properly into the evening and have been nonetheless chanting as midnight approached. Leroy mentioned the Swedish followers have been final to depart the stadium “because the police will escort the Swedish fans and players, who will obviously go straight to the airport and leave.”

Sweden gamers returned to their golf equipment Tuesday after the in a single day flight house from Brussels. Sweden captain Victor Lindelof mentioned Monday that the gamers by no means felt in any hazard.

“Our security team handled it well and put us at ease,” Lindelof mentioned. “They explained that this is the safest place to be in Brussels.”

The final of the Swedish supporters — totaling about 650, in keeping with the Swedish Football Association — left the stadium beneath police surveillance at round 4 a.m. native time, together with some workers from the federation. All motels the place Swedish supporters have been staying have been additionally guarded by police, the federation mentioned.

The sight of followers locked inside a serious European stadium was paying homage to the scenes on the Stade de France exterior Paris when France’s nationwide stadium got here beneath assault from Islamic State extremists throughout a match between France and Germany on Nov. 13, 2015.

It remained unclear whether or not the match, which was tied 1-1 at halftime, can be accomplished at a later date. European soccer governing physique UEFA mentioned Tuesday it was too early to make any determination and that “further communication will be made in due course.”

Belgium and Austria have certified from Group F for the match to be held in Germany subsequent 12 months, however each groups can nonetheless win the group. Sweden can end no larger than third within the group and can’t attain the European Championship.

“Belgium are already qualified and we don’t have the opportunity to get to the European Championship, so I see no reason to play,” Lindelof mentioned Monday.

Information from Reuters and The Associated Press was used on this story.