Suspect Shot, Killed After Explosion In Central Train Station In Brussels
BRUSSELS (CBSNewYork) - Belgian soldiers shot a suspect after a small explosion went off at the Central train station in Brussels Tuesday night.
The suspect later died, Prosecutor's spokeswoman Ine Van Wymersch told the Associated Press.
The suspect was wearing a backpack and explosive belt, Belgian media reported, citing the Brussels prosecutor's office.
As CBS2's Tony Aiello reported, heavily armed police rushed the scene around 9 p.m. local time, after the apparent terror attempt at the city's Central Station.
Nearby tourist attractions, including the Grand Palace, were shut down and evacuated in the precaution.
A witness who was inside the train station posted a dramatic photo of the fireball on social media and described what he saw and heard.
"I was in the main hall when all of a sudden, there was a very loud explosion. And then in front of me, I could see a burning object, and then people started to run out of the station," said witness Rémy Bonnaffé.
Brussels police said late Tuesday that the incident was under control, and the attacker had been shot and "neutralized." Van Wymersch told the Associated Press that after the man was shot, medics could not attend to him for several hours because they were afraid he might be carrying explosives.
There were no injuries to civilians or first responders.
Still, it made for a frightening evening in Belgium, which has been on high alert for more than a year. On March 22 of last year, 32 people were killed in attacks at the Brussels airport and subway system.
Footage from the scene showed pedestrians appearing calm and orderly as they left the evacuated area.
