A prison inmate out on leave ambushed two Belgian policewomen Tuesday in Liege, Belgium, and killed them with their own guns.
Police are investigating the killings as a possible terrorist attack, saying the suspect’s aim was to attack officers. They believe he acted alone.
Officials have not yet officially identified the gunman. But Belgian media say he is Benjamin Herman — a 35-year-old who has been in a Belgian prison for more than 10 years for various crimes.
Herman reportedly sneaked up on the two policewomen and stabbed them with a knife before grabbing their guns and shooting them.
He also shot and killed a driver pulling out of a parking space in a nearby high school parking lot before running into the school, briefly taking as many as two hostages.
Herman stormed out of the school, firing his weapons, and was fatally shot by police, but not before wounding four officers, at least one seriously.
It is unclear if Herman’s name was on any terror watch list. But Belgian lawmaker George Dallemagne said Herman was likely radicalized in jail.
“The supervision of radicalized prisoners remains tragically flawed,” Dallemagne wrote on Twitter.
Belgium has been on high alert for terrorism because of a series of attacks in Brussels over the past few years claimed by Islamic State. (voanews)
