Several inquiries have been launched after it was revealed that the man lethally shot by Brussels police during a car chase on Tuesday was a 29-year-old French national.
Officers from the Brussels-Ixelles police zone shot at the man as he fled in a vehicle with another passenger, after a reported traffic violation near the central Dansaert district of Brussels.
When he was caught up with in the municipality of Molenbeek, the French driver attempted to hit an approaching officer with his vehicle in a renewed attempt to escape, Denis Goeman, spokesperson with the public prosecutor's office said, according to RTBF.
"A police officer opened fire and shot in the direction of the driver, who was hit and whose vehicle came to a halt some 300 metres further," Goeman said.
The man was rushed to the hospital but is reported to have died from his injuries there some hours later.
An examining magistrate ordered the opening of two separate inquests following the incident.
One will look into the driver's the attempted assault of the police officer with his vehicle, while an additional one will target the officer who shot and killed the French national.
"It's an investigation for intentional blows and injuries without the intention of killing but which led to a death," Goeman said.
Additionally, the Committee P, the external body which supervises police services, will also open an investigation the intervention led by the Brussels police zone.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
