This is the shocking moment a young French man suddenly pushes a female passenger off the platform and onto the tracks just as a train approaches.
The 23-year-old suspect, name not disclosed, has been arrested for attempted manslaughter after the incident at the Rogier underground station on the Brussels Metro on the evening of 14th January.
The public prosecutor’s office in Brussels said the metro driver was able to pull the emergency brake in time to avoid a fatal accident.
The CCTV footage shows the suspect looking around before hurrying behind a woman near the edge of the platform and pushing her onto the track.
The 55-year-old woman, name not reported, apparently hits her head on the track as the driver brings the tube to an immediate stop.
An Van hamme, spokesperson for the Brussels transport company STIB, said: “The metro driver was able to brake just in time and thereby avoid a collision.”
The woman was not reported to have suffered any serious injuries and was taken to hospital in shock.
Van hamme said: “Our metro driver was also in shock and also had to go to hospital.”
Local media said the suspect was beaten by an outraged passenger and fell on the tracks.
Sarah Durant of the Brussels public prosecutor’s office said on 15th January: “The perpetrator crossed the tracks and then fled through one of the exits of the metro station.
“Thanks to the police’s dissemination of the suspect’s images, he was intercepted a few minutes later while he was at De Brouckere metro station.
The investigating judge also appointed a psychiatrist to evaluate the suspect’s mental wellbeing. In the interest of the investigation, the Brussels public prosecutor’s office said it will not comment further at this time.
The young man has been arrested for attempted manslaughter as the investigation continues.
