A tragic incident that occurred on July 23, 2026, aboard Tram 55 in the Brussels municipality of Schaerbeek has sparked widespread reactions across Belgium and within the Rwandan diaspora.
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“On Thursday, July 23, 2026, at around 3:30 p.m., an individual committed a violent assault aboard Tram 55, which had reached its final stop on Chaussée de Helmet in Schaerbeek,” Belgian police stated, adding that the suspect has been identified.
The victim, Driss Atounane, a 54-year-old resident of Evere, died from his injuries after intervening to defend a woman who was being subjected to racist insults and physical assault.
A mural by artist HMI pays tribute to Driss Atounane, who died following the violent attack aboard Tram 55 in Schaerbeek. Photo credit: BELGA
You may also read: In Belgium, a Rwandan Man Kills His Rwandan Wife — Here’s What Happened
What We Know About the Suspect
According to information released by the Belgian authorities and reported by several media outlets, the suspect is a Belgian citizen of Rwandan origin, born in Rwanda in 1988. However, his full identity has not been made public.
This was reportedly not his first violent offense. According to police, he had previously been convicted in 2018 for acts of violence.
Authorities indicate that the suspect suffers from serious mental illness. For the past five years, he had been living in a protected residential facility for individuals with psychiatric disorders. According to the facility’s management, he has severe schizophrenia.
“He is a seriously ill man, suffering from severe schizophrenia.”Nevertheless, the management stated that there had been no recent warning signs suggesting he was about to commit such an act.
One of his roommates described him as generally calm and said he had never expressed hateful or Islamophobic views. The roommate also claimed that the suspect used heroin, although this allegation will need to be verified during the investigation.”He used to say that he was both Muslim and Catholic.”
The director of the residential facility emphasized that residents are free to move about and that the institution’s primary objective is to support their social reintegration.
A neuropsychiatric medical center
The suspect has been formally charged and placed in pre-trial detention.
A psychiatric evaluation has been ordered to assess his mental condition before the judicial proceedings continue.
Illustration photo: The suspect has been formally charged and placed in pre-trial detention.
Related story: Axel Rudakubana the English murderer of parents of Rwandan origin who cowardly massacred the three children with a knife is sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 52 years
The judicial investigation is ongoing. It is now the responsibility of the Belgian justice system to establish the facts and determine legal responsibility while fully respecting the presumption of innocence and the rights of all parties involved.Our editorial team will continue to follow this case and keep readers informed as additional official information becomes available.
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Mwalimu Hakizimana Maurice is a teacher, a translator-interpreter, and a writer based in Paris, France.
Professor Hakizimana Maurice is the author of the book “UTABA AMATEKA NTABONA ITAKA” (Editions Scribes).
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