Man With Kalashnikov Rifle Killed in Brussels Raid Connected to Paris Attacks
Four Belgian police officers were reportedly injured after being fired upon.
— -- One male suspect carrying a Kalashnikov was killed in the raid and officials are in the process of identifying him, Belgian federal prosecutor Thierry Werts said in a statement today.
Officials said the raid was done in connection to the ongoing investigation into the coordinated attacks in Paris last fall.
The raid started at 3:00 p.m. local time in a suburb of Brussels. One or more individuals reportedly opened fire on police officers as soon as they opened the door.
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said at a news conference today the police officers were taken by surprise and that four police officers were injured.
"We were very lucky... because it could have been much worse," Michel said.
The investigation is ongoing, he said.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve confirmed that French authorities were involved in the raid.
"A team of French and Belgian police officers intervened and was targeted by gunfire from heavy weapons," Cazeneuve said.
Shots were fired at police in Belgium today when a house was being searched in relation to the investigation into the coordinated attacks in Paris last fall, Belgian officials told ABC News.
At least one of the Paris suspects directly involved in the deadly attacks in November, Salah Abdeslam, is still at large. There has been no confirmation that he was at the home that police searched today. There is also an outstanding international warrant for another suspect called Mohamed Abrini, who Belgian police and European authorities said was seen in surveillance footage with Abdeslam at a gas station two days before the attacks.
Two schools and two nurseries in the area were placed on lockdown as a security precaution, authorities said.
"I’m seeing about 10 police officers kneeled down with their weapons raised towards the sky," said a worker whose office is around the corner from where the raid was taking place.
"There’s about 100 police officers overall ... lots of helicopters too,” said the man, who did not want to share his name publicly.
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