A Belgian police officer was shot and killed during an armed interception of a stolen vehicle in the Jette municipality north of Brussels in the early hours of Tuesday, October 13, 2026. nos.nl reported that the confrontation began when suspects immediately stepped out of a car and opened fire on a police vehicle. The officer, a member of the Brussels police’s Anti-Robbery Brigade, sustained a gunshot wound and later died at a hospital.
The violent sequence started earlier when a car was forcibly stolen from its owner in Tubize, according to nos.nl. Law enforcement tracked the vehicle to Jette, where local patrols moved in to intercept it. According to details shared by VRT journalist Chris Verhaeghe on The Morning and cited by v-nieuws, the pursuit ended in a direct gun battle between the occupants of the stolen car and police officers. Investigators have not yet clarified whether any suspects have been detained or if a separate shooting incident in Ixelles during the same night is connected.
Brussels Police and Officials Respond to the Killing
The Brussels police force announced on X that the department is in mourning following the loss of the Anti-Robbery Brigade officer. Brussels Mayor Philippe Close visited the scene of the shooting in Jette, telling VRT News that the public often fails to realize the daily risks police officers take to maintain public safety.
Belgian Minister of Justice Annelies Verlinden expressed her condolences on social media, writing that the distress and grief are profound, and emphasizing that the government remains by the side of law enforcement personnel. Flemish political figures also reacted to the violence. Vlaams Belang leader Tom Van Grieken stated on X that the safety of emergency services faces mounting pressure and called the event a horrific low point, pointing out via v-nieuws reporting that the VSOA police union records this fatality as the 36th law enforcement death in the line of duty over a 25-year period.
Press Conference and Ongoing Investigation Schedule
The Brussels public prosecutor’s office scheduled a press conference for Tuesday afternoon to release official findings on the pursuit, the identity of the suspects, and the status of any arrests. Investigators continue to examine the Jette crime scene where the fatal shots were fired, while separate municipal police zones coordinate to determine the full timeline of the vehicle’s movement from Tubize through Brussels.