Brussels Sees 57 Shootings in 2025 as Luxembourg Continues to Record Minimal Crime

The Brussels-Capital Region has recorded 57 shootings so far this year, including 20
over the summer, highlighting a sharp contrast with neighboring Luxembourg, where
police report only a handful of burglaries in the same period.

Officials in Brussels link the surge in gun violence to turf wars between organised drug
gangs, many connected to international trafficking networks operating through the port
of Antwerp. Prosecutors say competition over lucrative street markets has driven violent
disputes, with automatic weapons used in public spaces.

Public prosecutor Julien Moinil has warned that “anyone, any resident… could be shot
by a stray bullet,” as calls grow for more resources, staff and coordinated policing. The
city’s 19 municipalities and six police zones have been criticised for fragmented
governance, which law enforcement leaders say hampers swift action.

Luxembourg’s crime rates remain among the lowest in Europe, with no significant gang
presence, fewer trafficking routes, and a centralised policing system credited for
maintaining public security.

Belgian security experts have proposed merging Brussels’ police zones into a single
command structure, creating a federal task force to disrupt drug networks, and investing
in education and jobs in vulnerable neighborhoods. The government is also
considering intensified patrols in crime hotspots.

Authorities warn that without stronger enforcement and community interventions, the
capital risks further escalation of violence, even as its smaller neighbor remains largely
untouched by serious crime.

Photo – A police officer at Brussels’ Clemenceau metro station, after a shooting on February 5.Yves Herman/Reuters