Gunman opens fire outside busy shopping centre in Brussels leaving at least three people injured before attacker goes on the run

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A gunman has opened fire outside busy shopping centre in Brussels leaving at least three people injured before the attacker went on the run.

Victims included a female tourist – with one being shot near the mall, a second being found outside an Apple store and a third was discovered on a nearby high street.

The woman was a member of staff for a Swedish MEP, working just 15 minutes away at the European Parliament.

The shots were fired on the Avenue de la Toison d’Or, a busy commercial street near a covered passageway featuring upscale fashion boutiques. The passageway was evacuated, according to Belgian media.

The assailants had left the scene by the time the police arrived after being called at about 7:30 pm, police spokeswoman Ilse Van de Keere said.

Images of the scene show heavily armed officers surrounding the entrance to the mall, which is lit up in festive Christmas decorations

Victims included a female tourist – with one being shot near the mall and a second being found outside an Apple store

The shots were fired on the Avenue de la Toison d’Or, a busy commercial street near a covered passageway featuring upscale fashion boutiques

Another victim includes a member of staff for a Swedish MEP, working just 15 minutes away at the European Parliament. Pictured: Belgian police officers keep guard

Belgian police officers keep guard outside the area where, according to police, a shooting took place

She added: ‘At this point, there is nothing to make us think it was a terrorist act.’ 

The spokesperson confirmed that several people were injured and a perimeter has been set up. 

One of the wounded is in critical condition.

Images of the scene show heavily armed officers surrounding the entrance to the mall, which is lit up in festive Christmas decorations.

‘In the middle of Avenue de la Toison d’Or, a man came with a gun, fired several times, followed by a panic with around twenty people coming to take refuge in the Gallery, including a woman injured in the right leg, a tourist,’ one eye-witness, Alain Gagnaire, told French-language newspaper Le Soir.

An officer uses flashlight as Belgian police guard outside the area where the shooting occured

The assailants had left the scene by the time the police arrived after being called at about 7:30 pm, police spokeswoman Ilse Van de Keere said. Pictured: Police officers search for a gunman at the scene of the shooting

Police spokeswoman Ilse Van de Keere confirmed that several people were injured and a perimeter has been set up. Pictured: Belgian police officers keep guard

‘I called the cops and they arrived in force with the firefighters.’ 

Swedish MEP Tomas Tobé posted on social media shortly after the attack to say that one of his staff had been injured.

Posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, he said: ‘One of our employees has been injured in a shooting in Brussels. Terrible. 

‘The person in question is receiving care at the moment, the situation is not considered to be critical. Relatives of the person are notified.’ 

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