Police in Belgium are searching for at least one suspect following an anti-terror raid in Brussels that left one suspect dead and four officers injured.
The incident began between 2:45 and 3 p.m on Rue du Dries, near the Place St. Denis in the Forest district of the city, when Belgian and French police attempted to carry out a joint search.
The Brussels prosecutor’s office said armed federal police were wearing bulletproof vests when they attempted to enter a building they expected to be empty. Instead, officials say, “one or more people” shot at officers through the door. RTÉ reporter Tony Connelly tweeted that three people opened fire on police, citing the Belgian police union.
Police immediately cordoned off the area and launched a major operation.
One suspect barricaded himself into an apartment in the area, while two others reportedly fled across rooftops.
A second burst of gunfire was reported around 3:45 p.m.
Around 6 p.m., police stormed the apartment where one suspect was armed with a “Kalashnikov” assault rifle, the Belgian federal prosecutor confirmed. The suspect was “neutralized,” officials said.
Interior Minister Jan Jambon said four police officers were injured, including one female French officer. Jambon added that one officer had been shot in the ear and two others were still in hospital.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve had earlier confirmed the raid was a joint Franco-Belgian operation.
The prosecutor’s office said the raid was not targeting Salah Abdeslam and Mohamed Abrini, who are wanted in connection with the Nov. 13 Paris attacks, but was aimed at a “second ring” of suspects, Polito Europe reports.
The Forest district is just across the river from Molenbeek, home to a number of people involved in the attacks, which left 130 people dead. Anti-terror raids have been carried out throughout Belgium since the attacks.
(Story Developing)
BREAKING from @AFP – Prosecutor says dead Brussels suspect had Kalashnikov, 'one or more' suspects were involved in attack on police
— Danny Kemp (@dannyctkemp) March 15, 2016
1 suspect is neutralised according to Belgian officials #Forest
— Sándor Zsíros (@EuroSandor) March 15, 2016
Confirmed: 1 suspect dead after police storm Brussels apartment
— Michael van Poppel (@mpoppel) March 15, 2016
Belgian police union source says three armed men opened fire on anti terror police immediately the raid go under way. #Brussels
— Tony Connelly (@tconnellyRTE) March 15, 2016
UPDATE: One suspect in Brussels raid 'neutralized' after exchange of shots with police: media. https://t.co/5qQMDYMOFc
— Reuters World (@ReutersWorld) March 15, 2016
Four Belgian police wounded after shots fired in anti-terror op linked to Paris attacks, prosecutor confirms to AFP
— Danny Kemp (@dannyctkemp) March 15, 2016
Brussels anti-terror raid was not targeted at Paris suspects Abdeslam and Abrini https://t.co/SWOehdDFUL #Forest pic.twitter.com/Iifh1kbM10
— POLITICO Europe (@POLITICOEurope) March 15, 2016
Burst of gunfire heard within police cordon in Brussels suburb of #Forest, BBC's @inglesi reports https://t.co/vrIVALlIzB
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) March 15, 2016
#Belgium #Latest: More gunshots heard at #Forest as police is searching two on the run gunmen after anti-terror raid https://t.co/W7rQcuiKC1
— José Miguel Sardo (@jmsardo) March 15, 2016
#Belgium: Schools and kindergartens inside security perimeter in #Forest are closed and protected by police acc local media.
— José Miguel Sardo (@jmsardo) March 15, 2016
Shots fired in Brussels during police raid linked to Paris attacks: A major police operation is underway in th… https://t.co/275lbBQGVm
— DW | Europe (@dw_europe) March 15, 2016
This is the scene of the anti terror raid in Brussels. Area completely blocked by police. pic.twitter.com/O3dZVsPr8o
— Sándor Zsíros (@EuroSandor) March 15, 2016
#Brussels: a police officer slightly injured after a raid on house https://t.co/3QyUJ8L36y pic.twitter.com/yXlSQA6dPW
— euronews (@euronews) March 15, 2016
.@lesoir reporting two police officers slightly injured during shootout in the Foret district of #Brussels, gunman / gunment at large
— Tony Connelly (@tconnellyRTE) March 15, 2016
Two armed men escaped over rooves after police tried to search premises in Vorst, Brussels. Linked to #ParisAttacks
— Catherine Hardy (@fernojay) March 15, 2016
Belgian police hunt gunman after Brussels anti-terror raid https://t.co/vZFkb7ffM9
— Guardian World (@guardianworld) March 15, 2016
Brussels: shooting started during routine search on house in Vorst, connected with Paris attacks @euronews
— Catherine Hardy (@fernojay) March 15, 2016
#Belgium: At least 2 policemen injured, 2 suspects on the run after shooting during anti-terror ops in #Forest @gva pic.twitter.com/y7MqAr52CF
— José Miguel Sardo (@jmsardo) March 15, 2016
Shots fired in Brussels police raid related to Paris attacks – https://t.co/5aZD1zxFjy pic.twitter.com/k3F6sch6OF
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) March 15, 2016
Police shot at during Brussels anti-terror raid https://t.co/SWOehdDFUL pic.twitter.com/1uPKlbmBvV
— POLITICO Europe (@POLITICOEurope) March 15, 2016
BREAKING: Gunfire breaks out during #Brussels counter-terrorism raid linked to #ParisAttacks https://t.co/okzaukmYpQ
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 15, 2016
Image: @euronews/Twitter