ANP via Getty Images

Belgium vs. Sweden Euro 2024 Qualifier Abandoned After Shooting in Brussels

Timothy Rapp

Players on the Swedish men's national team reportedly refused to resume a Euro 2024 qualifying match against Belgium after halftime—a decision supported by the Belgian national team—after two people who were wearing football shirts and presumed to be Swedish were shot and killed in central Brussels before the game, per Tom Blow of the Mirror.

The suspect in the shooting remains at large, per Belgian public broadcaster VRT (h/t CNN's Catherine Nicholls).

Prosecutors are treating the shooting as an act of terrorism, per the BBC, and Brussels' terror threat has been increased to its highest level.

Per the BBC's report, "A video posted on social media of an Arabic-speaking man claimed he carried out the attack in the name of God," with the man saying in the video that he has killed three people. Authorities are reportedly working to verify the video.

Reuters reported that the alleged killer said on the video posted to social media that he represented the Islamic State.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo posted the following statement on social media:

The prime minister confirmed that the two known victims were Swedish soccer supporters, per the BBC.

The score in the matchup between Sweden and Belgium was even at a goal apiece when the match was abandoned, with goals from Sweden's Viktor Gyökeres and Belgium's Romelu Lukaku.

   

Read 10 Comments

Download the app for comments Get the B/R app to join the conversation

Install the App
×
Bleacher Report
(120K+)