The owner of a nightshop in Ixelles died during a robbery last night. His partner, who was tied up and locked in the cellar during the incident, found his body later.
Flemish media Het Nieuwsblad first reported the news, which has since been confirmed to the Belga News Agency by sources close to the investigation.
The Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed it had opened an investigation after attending the scene.
"During the night of 3 to 4 August, a couple who ran a night shop on Rue de la Paix in Ixelles were targeted by several criminals," the office said in a statement.
"At this stage, the exact circumstances of the incident have not been established, but it appears that the shop owner died during the incident and his wife is believed to have been locked up."
Evidence being collected outside the nearby restaurant, after a nightshop owner was killed on Rue de la Paix in Ixelles on Tuesday 4 August 2026. Credit: The Brussels Times
The prosecutor's office added that it is not yet clear what was stolen during the incident.
According to Het Nieuwsblad, the robbery took place at around 02:00 when several perpetrators forced their way into the nightshop on Rue de la Paix and tied up the owner’s wife in the cellar.
When the woman managed to free herself some time later, she found her husband’s lifeless body upstairs, after which she alerted the police.
The victim is reported to be a 67-year-old man of Pakistani origin.
The investigation has been entrusted to the Brussels Federal Judicial Police, according to Public Prosecutor’s Office.
"They will endeavour to establish the facts of the case, identify the perpetrators and apprehend them. In the interests of the investigation, no further comment will be made."
This story was updated with the statement of the Public Prosecutor's Office.
