Police officers stand guard near the scene of a stabbing attack
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)A lone attacker who killed one police officer and hurt another in a stabbing earlier went to a police station to express hatred for them, Belgian authorities said.
The suspect made "unhinged remarks" during a talk with officers hours before the attack, which is being investigated as possibly terror-related, Brussels prosecutor Sarah Durant said.
Because he voluntarily asked for psychological help, he was not arrested and instead sent to a hospital - which he left soon after.
After the stabbings, the suspect was almost immediately shot by another police official called to the scene.
Wounded, he was taken to a hospital.
Eric Van der Sypt of the federal prosecutor's office said investigators are looking into whether the attack in Brussels happened in a "terrorist context".
The federal prosecutor's office told the Associated Press it took over the case because there is "a suspicion of a terror attack".
According to Belgian media, the attacker shouted "Allahu akbar", the Arabic phrase for "God is great", during the attack, which happened at about 7.15pm on Thursday.
Belgian authorities kept the overall terrorist threat level at two out of a possible four, meaning the risk of an attack is still "medium".
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo posted a message of condolence to the family and friends of the dead officer.
"Our police officers risk their lives every day to ensure the safety of our citizens," he said.
"Today's tragedy demonstrates this once again."
Interior minister Annelies Verlinden said she was in contact with the Brussels mayor, police chief and security services to co-ordinate a response to the attack.
"Such violence against our people is unacceptable," she said.
Authorities came under immediate criticism for not arresting the suspect when he made his initial threats to the police early on Thursday, but Ms Durant said procedures stipulate that he had to be taken by police to a hospital since he had asked for psychological help himself.
"Police remained there until hospital staff took over," she said.
A few hours later, when police checked on his whereabouts, "it appears that the person had left the hospital".
The attack touched a nerve in a nation hit by several terror attacks in the past decade, including suicide bombings in 2016 which killed 32 people and injured hundreds more in the Brussels subway and airport.
