Police were able to overpower a gunman who took 15 adults hostage at the Provincial Institute for Technical and Vocational Education in Farciennes, Hainaut, shortly after 6pm on Thursday.
The man was quickly overcome without incident, the Charleroi prosecutor’s office said.
The gunman, a 23-year-old from Gilly, entered the institute and took staff and students hostage with a weapon. He then called 101 and demanded a ransom of €25,000 to free the hostages. The police quickly arrived on the scene and immediately cordoned off the area.
After making contact with the hostage taker, police were able to take advantage of a moment of inattention by the individual to overpower him. No one was injured, although some of the hostages were in shock. They were taken care of by a crisis unit, where they were given psychological support.
The man, whose weapon was a fake, reportedly owed a large sum of money to an acquaintance.
