The French-speaking Criminal Court in Brussels sentenced the perpetrators of the 5 February 2025 Clémenceau shooting to 13 and 11 years’ imprisonment without parole on Friday.
According to the Belga News Agency, defendant Z.Y. (aged 21) was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment for attempted murder, membership of a criminal organisation and carrying an automatic weapon.
Z.Y. carried an M4 rifle on the morning of the incident but did not fire it. The prosecution had requested a 14-year prison sentence for Z.Y., arguing that the 21-year-old formed a "tandem" with the shooter.
However, the court confirmed on Friday that this defendant did not fire the weapon.
The defendant Y.A. (aged 20) was sentenced in absentia to 13 years’ imprisonment on the same charges.
He did, however, fire one of the two weapons on 5 February 2025 at 06:00 outside the underground station.
Residents pictured near the Clemenceau metro station, which is closed off after a shooting this morning, Thursday 06 February 2025 in Cureghem. Credit: Belga
Although absent during most of the trial, Y.A. was present at Friday’s hearing for the pronouncement of his sentence in absentia.
Being sentenced in absentia means there is no defence presented by the suspect, usually because he is not physically present during the trial and therefore has no defence lawyer.
Earlier this month, the 20-year-old had reportedly snapped off his ankle tag and gone on the run, but was since apprehended by the Brussels authorities.
What happened?
The shooting occurred at the Clémenceau metro station at 06:15 on 5 February 2025. Images from surveillance cameras showed two people opening fire outside the station with AK-47, which are most often used as weapons of war.
A video circulating online suggested that they were shooting in the direction of other individuals on bikes, before running into the station and fleeing the scene via a metro tunnel.
Police pictured outside the Clémenceau metro statio. Credit: Belga / Rachelle Dufour
Ballistic analysis revealed that 23 bullet casings originated from the weapon. A stray bullet that landed in a child's bedroom on the ground floor of a house on Place Clémenceau was also fired from the same assault rifle.
Camera footage of the incident showed that most shots were fired at head height and targeted rival drug dealers from the Peterbos district, who arrived at Clemenceau on scooters that morning.
Their escape via the metro tunnels led to an active police search in the following hours which disrupted rush hours on Brussels public transport network.
"The suspects fled in the direction of the metro station and may still be in the tunnel between the Clémenceau and Midi stations," police spokesperson Sarah Frederickx said at the time. "The Brussels Midi police and the federal railway police are searching the area. No one was injured in the shooting."
After the story received international press attention, the suspects were apprehended by police on 6 February (the following day) and on 21 February 2025.
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