A gunman has opened fire in the centre of the Belgian city of Liege, killing at least three people and wounding 75.
The man also threw grenades into a crowded square from a rooftop before killing himself, reports say.
He was named as Nordine Amrani, aged 33. He was known to police for firearms offences. Officials said the attacker acted alone, ruling out terrorism.
Medical sources later said two other injured, including a baby girl, had died. This has not been confirmed. Amrani was jailed for 58 months in September 2008 for possessing firearms and drugs, media reports said.
Officials did not confirm this, but said they were aware he had spent some time in prison.
Weapons in a bag
Amrani had been asked to come for an interview at a police station in connection with charges against him.
A resident of Liege, he left home with a rifle, a pistol and three grenades in a bag, prosecutors said.
Greg Ienco, a journalist at local newspaper La Meuse-Liege, described the scene of the attack.
"We saw four explosions. I was in a building 200m from Saint-Lambert Square," he said.
"It was quite incredible. We saw one man on the roof who tried to kill people. This man killed himself with a grenade."
Liege police hold a news briefing following the attack
Two of the people confirmed dead were boys aged 15 and 17, the third a 75-year-old woman.
TV images showed blood splattered across the cobblestones of the square.
Several people are reported to be in a serious condition.
Medical staff at a field hospital at the scene treated 52 of the injured. Some others made their own way to other hospitals.
Roads into the centre of Liege were sealed off but vehicles are now coming back into the city.
Explosives experts were called in to search the area for unexploded grenades. People were initially told to stay in buildings but are now returning to the streets.
Place Saint-Lambert is a busy intersection, served by hundreds of buses daily. It hosts an annual Christmas market which attracts some 1.5 million visitors a year.
After months of silence, the gang began a new series of robberies. The attacks of 1985 were the most violent since the beginning, in 1982.
Friday September 27: more or less 20:00 armed robbery and a killing in the Delhaize supermarket on rue de la Graignette in Braine-l'Alleud. Less than $6,000.00 was stolen. Three people were killed, two people wounded. Friday September 27: more or less 20:30 (only 15 to 25 minutes after the first attack that night) armed robbery and a killing in the Delhaize supermarket on Brusselsesteenweg in Overijse. Less than $25,000.00 was stolen. Five people were killed, one person wounded. Saturday November 9 more or less 19:30 armed robbery and a killing in the Delhaize supermarket on Parklaan in Aalst. Less than $25,000.00 was stolen. Eight people were killed, a few more people wounded.
« Poslednja izmena: 13. Dec 2011, 22:52:47 od hkj »
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