An unidentified man shot dead a judge and a court employee in a judicial building on Thursday in the Belgian capital Brussels, police said.
The man fled after the shooting in the court, which usually handles minor offenses. The course of events during the incident was not immediately clear.
The shot judge had overseen marital and rental disputes, along with adoptions and the commitment of people in psychiatric institutions. She was reportedly to retire soon.
Media reports that the gunman stems from Albania and is mentally disturbed could not immediately be confirmed.
“It is the first time ever that a judge here has been shot in court,” Justice Minister Stefan De Clerck said. “The safety measures have failed.” The court building was mostly locked down after the incident.
