A 20-year-old man suspected of firing an AK-47 assault rifle in a Brussels metro station is being tried in absentia after breaking his ankle tag and going on the run.
'YA' stands accused of firing the weapon at Clemenceau metro station on the morning of 5 February, 2025 – one of the most notable shooting incidents in Brussels in recent years. The Public Prosecutor's Office has demanded YA be given a 16-year prison sentence by the Brussels Correctional Court.
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.
The Public Prosecutor argued that the action clearly constituted attempted murder. Insisting on a "very strong signal" from the justice system, the prosecutor requested a 16-year sentence for the alleged shooter.
However, the suspect is not present at the trial. The young man had an ankle tag fitted last year, but cut it a few months ago and has been on the run ever since. He is therefore in danger of being convicted in absentia.
Another suspect, ZY, also stood trial on Friday. He carried an M4 rifle on the morning of the incident but did not fire it. The prosecution requested a 14-year prison sentence for ZY, arguing that the 21-year-old formed a "tandem" with the shooter.
For this reason, the prosecution believes that ZY is also guilty of attempted murder, criminal conspiracy, and illegal possession of a weapon. ZY confessed to sabotaging the rifle by inserting a cartridge backwards to jam the weapon.
Because ZY did not fire his weapon and a forensic analysis of his phone revealed a less concerning profile than YA, the prosecutor has asked for a slightly lighter sentence.
