Brussels Police Chase Death Case: Decision Delayed for Victims’ Families

The events had taken place on May 9, 2017 around 9:30 pm. A police patrol had chased Ouassim Toumi, 24, and Sabrina El Bakkali, 20, who were on a motorcycle, at the level of the Poelaert square in [Brussels]. It had noticed that the motorcyclist was driving recklessly. Two other patrols had also joined the chase of the motorcyclist. The motorcycle collided with the rear left of a patrol vehicle from the local police brigade of Brussels-Capital-Ixelles. Ouassim Toumi died on the spot. His passenger, Sabrina, died later that night at the hospital.

The families of the victims have condemned this chase engaged for two alleged violations of the Highway Code. According to them, it was illegal, unnecessary and disproportionate. Their lawyer had requested that the police officers be referred to the criminal court. The Brussels public prosecutor’s office had requested a dismissal for the police officers accused of having killed the two young people, arguing that the only one responsible for the death of Sabrina and Ouassim is the scooter driver. The Brussels chamber council was to make a decision on Monday, but it decided to postpone it to August 13, reports BX1.