Four Arrest Warrants Sought After Ans Shooting in Belgium

The Liège public prosecutor’s office has requested four arrest warrants for attempted murder following a shooting in Ans, Belgium, that left three men wounded by gunfire on May 13, 2026. Nine individuals were initially detained, but five were released after being identified as bystanders who provided first aid rather than participants in the attack, according to RTBF.

The Incident

The shooting erupted in the mid-afternoon of May 13 at the corner of Rue d’Italie and Rue Jean Jaurès in Ans, a municipality in the province of Liège, near a car wash and the A602 highway exit. Three men, all of Palestinian nationality, were struck by gunfire. Two were transported to Mont Légia hospital and one to Citadelle hospital in Liège, with their conditions initially described as life-threatening.

Witnesses from a Brinks armored vehicle convoy that happened to be at the scene reported seeing an altercation followed by several gunshots. According to the prosecutor’s office, the convoy guards observed one person collapse after being shot, then get loaded into a Dacia Duster vehicle by two others and driven away. Another individual was seen throwing an object into bushes before fleeing. The Liège Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the armored vehicle was unrelated to the shooting and dismissed initial rumors that it had been targeted.

Investigation and Arrests

A large police operation was deployed, involving the Ans/Saint-Nicolas police zone, Liège police, and the anti-bandit squad. The Federal Judicial Police (PJF) of Liège took over the investigation. During the evening of May 13, nine male individuals, all of Palestinian nationality, were intercepted and detained.

Following questioning, five were released after authorities determined they had only provided assistance to the victims and were not involved in the shooting. The remaining four remain in custody, with arrest warrants requested for attempted murder, as reported by L’Avenir.

The Four Suspects

All four suspects in custody are of Palestinian nationality. They include a man born in 1986, domiciled in Ans and known to justice for traffic offenses; a man born in 2002 who is in Belgium illegally and faces an additional charge of illegal stay; a man born in 1987, domiciled in Liège; and a man born in 1998 with no fixed address. The case has been referred to an investigating judge, according to DHnet/Les Sports+.

Motive Remains Unclear

The prosecutor’s office has stated that the exact circumstances of the shooting remain “still unclear” and that multiple investigative steps are ongoing. Several motives are being considered, including a settling of scores, links to drug trafficking, or a political dimension. All individuals involved — victims, suspects, and those released — are of Palestinian nationality, suggesting the incident may be connected to dynamics within the Palestinian diaspora community in the Liège region.

What’s Next

The investigation continues under the authority of an investigating judge. Authorities are working to determine the precise sequence of events, the relationship between victims and suspects, and the weapon or weapons used. No further updates on the condition of the three wounded men have been released since the initial reports of life-threatening injuries.

Notably, a separate and unrelated incident occurred in Ans on May 14, the day after the shooting, in which two armed men climbed onto a roof and fired toward a school filled with children. Authorities have confirmed there is no link between the two events.