Shootings surge as drug gangs torment Brussels

What the report says

Brussels is facing a sharp rise in gun violence linked by police and local residents to drug trafficking, according to BBC World News. The report says there have been more than 65 shootings in the Belgian capital so far this year, with the article noting that drug-related attacks have become routine over the past couple of years and that the violence is concentrated in parts of the city such as St Gilles, near the Midi train station.

The BBC describes how a recent shooting at Salvatore’s pizzeria left bullet marks at the restaurant and frightened diners, including families on the terrace. Residents told the broadcaster that drug dealing is happening openly in the neighbourhood and that rival gangs appear to be fighting for control of profitable street-level drug spots. Police chief Jurgen de Landsheer said some dealing points can generate very large daily revenues and warned that organised crime in Brussels has become more violent.

A notable recent escalation was an attack on a police station, with CCTV reportedly showing two men on a scooter firing at the entrance before fleeing. De Landsheer said the incident was unusual because criminals are more often targeting rival gangs than police. He also said some of those arrested are very young, adding to concerns about public safety.

In response, Belgium’s interior minister announced extra police deployments for the affected area. The BBC also reported that police and community voices see the problem as part enforcement challenge, part social issue, with calls for prevention as well as policing. The article places Brussels in a wider European context, noting that other cities have faced similar drug-market violence.