Gunman Kills 3 in Belgian City

BRUSSELS (AP) -- A gunman killed three people, including two police officers, in the Belgian city of Liege on Tuesday, a city official said. Police later killed the attacker, and other officers were wounded in the shooting.

The motive for the attack wasn't immediately clear. State broadcaster RTBF reported that it could be terror-related, citing unnamed police and fire officials. Belgium's prime minister couldn't confirm the report.

"Beyond the attacker, who was shot, there are three dead, two police officials and a passer-by," Michel Firket from Liege city hall told The Associated Press.

State broadcaster RTBF reported that the shooting took place near a cafe on Liege's Boulevard d'Avroy. A passenger in a car driving by was killed. Other police officers were wounded in the exchange of fire, Firket told the AP.

When asked about the report that the attack was terror-related, Firket said: "I know nothing formal about that. The police is doing its investigation. There are no formal conclusions."

RTBF said the gunman fled the scene, taking a female cleaner hostage at a nearby school before he was shot.

A spokeswoman for the city mayor's office, Laurence Comminette, told the AP that the children were all safe.

Speaking on Belgian television, Prime Minister Charles Michel said: "There was a serious incident."

"The information so far is not clear yet," he said. Michel was rushing to the crisis center to get more information.

Video posted on Twitter by a person claiming to be a witness showed people running in the area. About six gunshots could be heard.

Belgian police and military have been on alert since suicide bombers killed 32 people at the Brussels airport and subway system in 2016.

(KA)