Brabant killers
| Brabant massacres | |
|---|---|
| Location | Brabant, Belgium |
| Date | 13 March 1982- 9 November 1985 |
| Target | Retailers |
|
Attack type
|
Serial killing, mass shootings, robberies |
| Deaths | 28 |
|
Non-fatal injuries
|
40+ |
| Perpetrators | Unknown |
|
No. of participants
|
At least three |
The Brabant killers (also the Nijvel Gang (Dutch: De Bende van Nijvel, French: Les Tueurs du Brabant) are believed responsible for a series of violent attacks that mainly occurred in the Belgian province of Brabant between 1982 and 1985. Twenty-eight people died and 40 were injured. It's considered Belgium's most notorious unsolved crime spree.
The gang's trademarks were a) disproportionate and gratuitous violence for relatively small rewards, and b) indifference to the police response. The three most active participants, according to witnesses, were:
The identities and whereabouts of the "Brabant killers" are unknown. One may have been killed after the last known robbery. Failure to catch the gang was a major impetus behind reform of the Belgian police.
There have been many theories about the case and those involved. One says the perpetrators may have been a particularly psychopathic group of criminals without any ulterior motive. A second theory asserts a politically-extreme paramilitary group conducted undercover surveillance on security at some of the targeted supermarkets.
As a result of these robberies, security was increased at many stores in the region — including armed guards.
During the November 9th incident, gang members (wearing bizarre face paint and disguises) roared at and taunted customers. They shot anyone who looked at them, including children. Witnesses said the shootings were done mainly by the "Killer;" the person justified it as killing witnesses. It appeared, however, that the shootings were gratuitous executions. The robbers did not leave the scene right away after returning to their parked getaway vehicle.
Patrol vehicles from Belgium's then-two police forces arrived before the gang left the Parklaan Delhaize. Most vehicles went to a secondary exit of the parking lot about 100 yards away. The getaway began with the "Giant" walking alongside the getaway car, exchanging shots with a policeman. Police fired more shots as the getaway car sped away. A police van pursued the gang for half a kilometer before stopping the pursuit, losing track of them.
The last sighting of any gang member was November 9th. The person was spotted on a forest road, on the ground, apparently seriously injured.
Decades later, forensic examination at the forest-road site found evidence of a weapon being fired there. Investigators concluded one of the gang — possibly the "Giant" — was executed by his accomplices and buried nearby. The getaway car was later found burned.
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Wikipedia