A 42-year-old man from Eupen was shot dead by a police officer on Sunday evening in Scheiblerplatz, Eupen, during a large brawl, the Eupen public prosecutor’s office said on Monday.
The incident began with an argument between children who attend the same school, according to the Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Andrea Tilgenkamp.
Their parents then became involved, and the dispute escalated into a fight between two groups of adults.
One of the groups called in friends, and about 50 people were eventually gathered in the park, Tilgenkamp said.
Police officers attended the scene and tried to calm the situation.
During the intervention, one person moved towards the other group while brandishing a knife, prompting an officer to open fire.
The officer fired two shots, and the man was fatally wounded, the Prosecutor’s Office said.
A person was stabbed in the incident but is not in a life-threatening condition.
The man who died had been living in Eupen for several years and was the father of four children, Tilgenkamp added.
Two separate investigations have been opened: one into the assault and stabbing, and a second into the police shooting.
