3 Killed Inside Brussels Jewish Museum

Three people were killed and a fourth was in critical condition in Brussels following an attack inside the Jewish Museum of Belgium late Saturday afternoon, and security has been tightened at Jewish institutions around the country.

One suspect was in custody, with a second still being sought by police early Sunday. The shooting was called the worst anti-Semitic attack in Belgium since World War II, and came a day before Belgians were to cast their ballots in regional, federal, and European elections on Sunday.

Belgium’s interior minister Joëlle Milquet said that “maximum security has been deployed around places frequented by the Jewish community.“ There were no special security measures in place at the museum prior to the attack, which may have been selected as an easy target, she noted.

Moniquet told a news conference that heightened security was necessary because “the perpetrators presumably knew they were on a no-way-out operation. They are working under the assumption that they will be caught within days, and therefore have a motivation to maximize the attack by striking again if capable,” she warned.

According to eyewitnesses, a lone gunman double-parked an Audi sedan outside the museum at about 4 p.m., ran into the museum and quickly opened fire before returning to the car and driving away. Police arrested a suspect within hours of the shooting in a car that matched the description and license-plate number given by eyewitnesses. A second suspect is being sought by the authorities.

Two women and a man were killed in the attack, and a fourth victim was rushed to a local hospital, and is in critical condition. None of the victims’ names has been released.

Didier Reynders, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of Belgium told local media that he was near the museum when he heard shots ring out and ran to the scene.

“You can’t help thinking when you see a Jewish museum, to think about an anti-Semitic act,” he said. “But the investigation will tell more.”