Assize court to hear case of 2024 Stalingradlaan shooting that killed innocent Aalst bystander after dispute turned violent
A Belgian court has ruled that four suspects will stand trial before the Brussels assize court in connection with a fatal shooting that took place in May 2024 on Stalingradlaan, a busy street in the heart of the capital.
The decision, confirmed by the Brussels indictment chamber on Friday, means the case will move to a jury trial. The shooting left a 28-year-old man from Aalst dead and injured another person, sending shockwaves through the local community and raising concerns about escalating violence linked to personal disputes.
The incident occurred on Sunday, 19 May 2024, outside café El Massirat. According to investigators, four men arrived on two scooters and drove past the café terrace where several people were gathered.
During the brief but violent encounter, one of the men opened fire toward the café. Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots, sparking panic among patrons and passersby.
Two people were struck by bullets during the shooting. Among them was a 28-year-old man from Aalst who had been present near the café at the time. Emergency services rushed both victims to hospital shortly after the attack. Despite medical efforts, the Aalst man later died from his injuries, authorities confirmed.
Investigators believe the victim was not involved in the dispute that led to the shooting. Prosecutors say he was likely an innocent bystander who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The second victim survived but sustained injuries during the incident.
Police launched a large investigation immediately after the attack, gathering witness statements, reviewing surveillance footage and tracing the suspects’ movements in the hours leading up to the shooting. Authorities later determined that the violence was likely linked to an earlier altercation that occurred the same afternoon.
According to investigators, a man in his fifties, identified as Hassan B., had been severely beaten during a dispute earlier that day. The attack reportedly left him badly injured and angered members of his family.
Prosecutors say Hassan B.’s sons, Badr B., 24, and Akram B., 19 at the time, later attempted to track down those responsible for the assault.
Later that evening, the two men allegedly went to café El Massirat to confront the owner and demand access to the establishment’s CCTV footage. They reportedly hoped the video recordings would help them identify the individuals involved in the earlier attack against their father.
However, investigators say the café owner refused to provide the footage. According to court documents, the two men then left the premises but returned shortly afterward accompanied by two other individuals.
Prosecutors allege that during their return, one of the men was armed with a firearm. Shortly after arriving outside the café, shots were fired toward the establishment, striking two people in the process.
Authorities believe the gunfire was intended as retaliation for the earlier assault rather than a targeted attack on the eventual victim. The Aalst man who died was therefore likely an unintended casualty of the revenge-motivated shooting, investigators say.
Following the incident, police quickly identified several suspects and began making arrests. Hassan B. and his son Badr B. were taken into custody shortly after the shooting, along with two other individuals suspected of involvement in the attack.
However, the alleged gunman, Akram B., managed to evade authorities for more than a year. Investigators spent months attempting to track him down while continuing to build the case against the other suspects.
Akram B. was eventually arrested in December 2025, bringing a significant breakthrough in the long-running investigation. His arrest allowed prosecutors to complete the case file and move forward with formal charges against all four suspects.
Despite being initially detained in connection with the case, Hassan B. was later cleared of wrongdoing. Investigators concluded that he had attempted to discourage his sons from seeking revenge following the earlier assault.
Evidence gathered during the investigation reportedly showed that he tried to calm the situation rather than escalate it. As a result, prosecutors decided not to pursue charges against him.
The remaining suspects will now face trial before the Brussels assize court, where a jury will examine the evidence and determine their guilt or innocence. Assize courts in Belgium typically handle the country’s most serious criminal cases, including murder and other violent crimes.
Trials in such courts often involve extensive witness testimony, forensic analysis and detailed reconstruction of the events leading up to the crime. Legal experts expect the proceedings to focus heavily on establishing the roles played by each suspect in the shooting.
The court will also examine the sequence of events that led from the earlier dispute to the deadly attack later that evening. Prosecutors are expected to argue that the suspects acted together in a retaliatory act that ultimately resulted in the death of an innocent man.
Defense lawyers, meanwhile, are likely to challenge the prosecution’s narrative and attempt to limit the responsibility of their clients. The case has drawn considerable attention in Belgium due to the circumstances of the shooting and the fact that the victim had no apparent connection to the dispute.
Residents in the area have previously voiced concerns about public safety following the incident, particularly given that it occurred in a busy neighborhood. Local authorities say the trial will provide an opportunity for the justice system to fully examine the facts and hold those responsible accountable.
For the victim’s family, the upcoming trial represents a long-awaited step toward justice nearly two years after the fatal shooting. Court officials have not yet announced the exact date when the assize court proceedings will begin.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
