Three Suspects Sought After Brutal Baseball Bat Attack in Ostend

Belgian federal police have launched a public appeal for information to identify three suspects who brutally beat a 29-year-old man with a baseball bat in the entrance hall of an apartment building in Ostend, leaving him with severe brain damage. The attack, which occurred on October 21, 2025, at Cardijnplein, was captured on surveillance cameras and has now been made public as investigators seek to close the case nearly eight months later.

According to Het Laatste Nieuws, police believe the victim, a man from Antwerp, may have been deliberately lured to the location to avoid witnesses. The entire assault lasted approximately 12 seconds.

The Attack

On the afternoon of October 21, 2025, around midday, a construction worker was eating lunch in his parked vehicle at Cardijnplein, a quiet residential square in Ostend. He witnessed three young men fleeing an apartment building, one of them carrying a baseball bat. Suspecting something was wrong, the worker entered the building and discovered the victim lying on the floor with blood on his head.

Surveillance footage from the building’s entrance hall reveals the sequence of events. The victim, carrying a large orange bag, follows a man with a cap and thin mustache into the entrance hall. Once out of camera view, a second man with a dark beard storms in wielding a baseball bat. A third accomplice arrives moments later, but the attack is already over. The three suspects flee with the victim’s orange bag and the baseball bat.

Severe Injuries and Lasting Damage

The victim suffered catastrophic injuries. Police spokesman Simon Fiers told HLN that the man spent days in a coma and barely survived the attack. “He lay in a coma for a long time and survived the assault by the narrowest of margins,” Fiers said. “Moreover, he suffers permanent damage as a result.”

Due to the severity of his brain injuries, the victim has been unable to provide investigators with a clear account of what happened. He has been questioned multiple times but remembers only fragments of the incident. Police have not ruled out that the attack may have been linked to a criminal transaction, though the motive remains unclear.

Premeditated Assault

Investigators have established that the attack was carefully planned. The three suspects were seen scouting the area around Cardijnplein approximately 30 minutes before the assault. The case has been classified as attempted murder and robbery with violence.

Police are also seeking to speak with a potential witness seen on surveillance footage pacing and speaking on the phone near the suspects’ escape route around the time of the attack.

Suspect Descriptions

Authorities have released detailed descriptions of the three suspects based on surveillance footage:

• Suspect 1 (The Lurer): Aged 25-30, thin brown mustache, black clothing, black New Balance sneakers. He is seen luring the victim into the entrance hall.
• Suspect 2 (The Attacker): Aged 25-35, tanned skin, round face, dark beard, dark clothing, white sneakers. He carried and used the baseball bat.
• Suspect 3 (The Latecomer): Aged 25-35, dark skin, black curly hair, beard, black Adidas jacket, blue jeans, Nike Dunk Low sneakers.

The potential witness is described as tall with an athletic build, dark shaved hair, light stubble, dark clothing, and white sneakers.

Public Appeal

The federal police appeal, published on June 14, 2026, urges anyone with information about the suspects or the events at Cardijnplein to come forward. Tips can be reported anonymously via the free hotline 0800 30 300 or by email.

The case has been featured in the “Faroek” public appeal series, a collaboration between the Federal Police, the Public Prosecution Service, and DPG Media that seeks public assistance in solving serious crimes.

What’s Next

Authorities remain hopeful that the public appeal will generate new leads. The detailed surveillance footage and distinctive descriptions of the suspects and their clothing provide strong leads for identification. Anyone who recognizes the suspects or has information about the stolen orange bag is urged to contact police immediately.