Brussels Police Officer, 41, Fatally Shot During Car Theft Investigation
Nordine El Talbi, 41, a father of two and a police officer for 17 years, was shot in the head and killed during an operation in Jette, near Brussels. His death has devastated his family and colleagues, who remember him as an exceptional man.
He had gone on foot to check out the area. His colleagues never saw him return. During the night of Monday, October 12, to Tuesday, October 13, Nordine El Talbi, an inspector with Brussels’ Anti-Aggression Brigade (BAA), was fatally shot in the head while taking part in an operation to find the perpetrators of a car theft. At 41, this father of two leaves behind a devastated family and colleagues in shock.
“Today, my life has stopped.” These heartbreaking words, reported by Belgian daily 7sur7, speak to the pain of his partner. Behind the uniform, Nordine was a man deeply appreciated by those around him. On social media, his partner shared a photograph of the two of them, accompanied by a tribute to the man with whom she had hoped to share so many more moments.
The tragedy began at around 11:10 p.m. in Tubize, south of Brussels. A driver had just had his vehicle stolen by three or four armed individuals. Using automatic number-plate recognition cameras, police traced the car to the Brussels ring road before locating it in Jette.
Two teams stayed back while Nordine, dressed in civilian clothes, approached on foot to assess the situation. Then, silence. Worried that they had heard nothing from him, his colleagues went looking for him. They found him motionless on the sidewalk, near the stolen vehicle. The officer had been shot in the head. His colleagues had not even heard the gunshot.
“One of the best police officers in Brussels”
Nordine knew the risks of his job well. He joined the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police force in 2009 and, ten years later, moved to the Anti-Aggression Brigade, a unit specializing in operations against serious crime. He was known for his professionalism and composure.
“He was one of the best cops in Brussels,” a close friend who had known Nordine for more than twenty years told Belgian daily Sudinfo. Alain Kestemont, a former alderman responsible for prevention and urban security in Anderlecht, described him as an exceptional man whose death leaves a huge void.
The grief has also reached Belgium’s highest authorities. Michel Goovaerts, head of the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police force, said he was “literally stunned” by the death. Prime Minister Bart De Wever and Interior Minister Bernard Quintin sent their condolences to the officer’s family and colleagues.
On Bladi.net : Court-ordered internment for Yassine Mahi after the murder of a police officer in Belgium
The investigation made rapid progress. Several suspects were arrested and three firearms were found. Investigators also found drugs in the stolen vehicle, leading prosecutors to examine a possible link to the drug underworld. An investigating judge has been assigned to the case of murder, with the aggravating circumstance that the victim was a police officer.
A memorial ceremony is scheduled for Friday, October 16, at 11 a.m. in Brussels. For his colleagues, it will be an opportunity to pay a final tribute to the inspector, who devoted 17 years of his life to the police and died in the line of duty.
