House Shot at in Ostend: Multiple Bullet Impacts Visible in Window
A residential house in the Madeliefjeslaan in Ostend’s Mariakerke district was shot at during the night of Saturday to Sunday, with multiple bullet impacts clearly visible in a window. No injuries were reported, according to Het Laatste Nieuws.
Police arrived at the scene and cordoned off the street for an extended period to conduct their investigation. The public prosecutor’s office dispatched CSI and a weapons expert to the location to make the necessary findings.
Investigation Underway
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear, and the investigation is ongoing. In the interest of the investigation, the public prosecutor’s office is not providing further information at this time, as Focus-WTV reported.
What is certain, according to police and the public prosecutor’s office, is that several shots were fired at the residence during the night. The fact that the shooting occurred in the Mariakerke residential area—a quieter part of Ostend compared to the city center—has raised concerns among local residents about the spread of violence beyond known hotspots.
Part of a Broader Pattern
This incident is the latest in a worrying series of gun-related incidents in the coastal city of approximately 73,000 inhabitants. Ostend has experienced a notable increase in violent incidents over the past year, many linked to the drug milieu.
In September 2025, a 43-year-old woman was shot dead in broad daylight in the Brusselstraat, near the casino and Leopoldpark. The shooting was linked to a failed drug deal, and a 21-year-old Dutch national was arrested in Maastricht. The suspect remains in custody after the Bruges council chamber extended his detention in August 2026, as Focus-WTV confirmed.
Just weeks before that fatal shooting, a 17-year-old boy was seriously wounded in a shooting at an apartment in the Voorhavenlaan. Four Dutch suspects were arrested after a chase on the A16 highway in the Netherlands, with police suspecting a link to the drug milieu, according to VRT NWS.
In the same period, police raided an apartment in the Muscarstraat following a reported hostage situation, arresting five men and seizing a firearm and drugs. A stabbing incident also left an 81-year-old man seriously wounded after an argument with his tenant. These incidents occurred within a span of just ten days, as VRT NWS documented.
More recently, in May 2026, a 35-year-old man was arrested for attempted murder with a knife at a tram stop on the Marie-Joséplein in Ostend. He remains in custody, according to Focus-WTV.
Mayor’s Response to Rising Violence
Mayor John Crombez has been vocal about the growing drug problem in Ostend, particularly around the Leopoldpark, which is often cited as a hotspot for drug dealing. Following the deadly shooting in September 2025, Crombez stated that the city would not accept such violence.
“It’s true that drugs often lead to violent incidents, involving weapons as well,” Crombez said, as VRT NWS reported. “We will not accept this. It must be safe for the people of Ostend and the many visitors to Ostend.”
The mayor has also noted that Ostend faces “big city” problems despite its relatively small size, with up to three times more people in the summer while the police force remains the same size. He has called for a national approach to tackle weapons trafficking, stating that “the availability and distribution of weapons in all of Belgium is a problem.”
The city has been taking measures to address the drug problem, including installing cameras and improving visibility in public spaces, as KW.be reported. Police have also been conducting regular “sweeps” in parks and squares for months to address drug dealing.
What’s Next
The investigation into the shooting in the Madeliefjeslaan is ongoing. Key questions remain about the motive behind the attack, whether it is drug-related given the pattern of drug-linked violence in Ostend, and whether any suspects will be identified and arrested.
For residents of the Mariakerke district, the incident serves as a stark reminder that the violence affecting Ostend’s city center can reach into quieter residential neighborhoods. The coming days will be crucial as investigators work to determine what prompted the attack and whether this latest shooting is connected to the broader drug-related crime wave that has challenged the coastal city.