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23 April 2007
BRUSSELS – A 49-year-old chief inspector of the GAOZ police district shot his 43-year-old girlfriend in her home in Zonhoven on Sunday. He then turned his service weapon on himself. Both were taken to hospital in critical condition.
The dramatic situation was discovered at about 5.30 pm on Sunday by a colleague of the inspector. He drove to Zonhoven after receiving a worrying phone call from the girlfriend.
When he arrived he found the woman and his colleague upstairs in the home. Both were taken to hospitals in Genk and Hasselt with head wounds. District chief Frank Mulleners of the GAOZ district (Genk/As/Opglabbeek/Zutendaal) came to the scene as well.
The couple was reportedly having relationship problems.
The case will no doubt lead to renewed debate about police taking service weapons home. Regulations have prohibited this for some time. Police officers are supposed to leave their service weapon in a locker at work but this is virtually impossible to monitor, say police.
[Copyright Expatica News 2007]
Subject: Belgian news