One Dead, Two Wounded, Brussels Station Locked Down After Fatal Gunfight Near Platforms

Brussels, Belgium— One man was killed and two others were wounded in a shootout directly outside a main train station in Brussels at around 7:40 p.m. on October 23, 2026, forcing an immediate halt to train departures and a rush of armed police into the concourse.

The gunfire started on the pavement. Two groups clashed. Shots were fired at close range. Commuters dropped to the floor inside the station hall as staff shouted to get back from the windows.

Federal police said the dead man, in his 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene. The two injured men were taken to Saint-Pierre Hospital with gunshot wounds to the chest and leg. One is in critical condition. Officers have not released names.

The station was evacuated in parts. Platforms stayed open for 20 minutes, then were closed completely. Trains were held outside the city. Video from inside shows passengers crowded against a closed gate while police with rifles moved through.

"This is an active crime scene with multiple weapons involved," a police spokesperson said. "We are working to determine if this was a settling of scores between criminal groups."

Witnesses reported seeing at least three men flee on foot toward the city center after the exchange. A pistol was recovered near a taxi rank. Forensics found more than a dozen casings spread across 30 meters of sidewalk.

The area around Gare du Nord has seen a rise in drug-related violence this year. Prosecutors have linked several recent shootings to turf battles over trafficking routes that run through the station district. Officers had been deployed there daily.

Rail operator SNCB said services resumed with delays after 10 p.m., but the front entrance remained sealed. Buses were diverted. A local shop owner said he has closed early twice this month because of threats outside.

Prosecutors have taken over the case and assigned an investigating judge. No suspects are in custody. Police are reviewing high-resolution cameras from the station facade and from trams that were stopped at the light when the shooting began.

The body was removed just before midnight. Police kept the cordon up. The two wounded men are under police watch in hospital.