| The smart money says he will turn out to be Muslim, very probably an asylum seeker, and a known wolf — a petty criminal with mental health or drug/alcohol problems. |
Police shoot knifeman at Gent train station
Officials are yet to confirm the motive of the incident.
The incident took place outside the Gent-st-Pietrea station to the south of the City's centre.
The area is currently on police lockdown – however train services are believed to still be in operation.
Regional officials have confirmed investigations are ongoing.
Spokeswoman for the regional Prosecutor An Schoonjans said: "A shooting incident happened at the station of Gent-Sint-Pieters.
"The railway police have fired at a man with a knife.
"The man was taken to the hospital and injured and is in danger.
"We investigate the exact circumstances of the facts."
A student who witnessed the incident said: “The man first entered the station loudly”.
"Then he pulled a knife and held it in the air.
“When the police ordered the man to lay down his knife, he refused.”
The man reportedly also entered a shop across the road before the incident – where he also brandished the weapon.
The shopkeeper said he “looked desperate” during the exchange.
| Update from Breitbart at 3:20 p.m. ET: |
Two shots were fired by the officers after the man failed to respond to orders to drop the knife, one of which struck the would-be assailant, causing him to drop his weapon. The 28-year-old man, who was described as being of Afghan origin and as wearing "a white turban" was handcuffed and taken to hospital, and was at death's door, although that has now improved.
Belgian Phlegmish newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws reports nothing is known about the man, his identity, or motivation ‐ however, Belgian police have said they do not believe the "undocumented" Afghan was moved by a terror motive to take a knife to attack police at the station.
The paper also reported although there was no certainty over who the man was, he did not appear to be known for previous crimes and "there are no signs of radicalisation."
Het Belang van Limburg reports that rumours the man quoted verses of the Koran during the attack had not been confirmed by police.