Man who shot union worker in Diest held for murder

According to witnesses, the man – identified by authorities as Sebastian H – took a number and waited his turn before approaching the counter and firing two shots, killing Sara Van Passel, 38. He then turned his weapon on another clerk, but did not shoot. He fled the scene on a motorcycle.

He was identified by a co-worker of the victim, who recognised him from previous visits. Police began a search, but he soon turned himself in voluntarily.

He has been detained on suspicion of murder. “The motive of the suspect remains unclear,” the prosecutor’s office said. “He appears not to have known the victim.”

According to interviews carried out by Het Nieuwsblad, Sebastian H, who is of Polish nationality, had been to the ACV office in the Flemish Brabant town on more than one occasion with employment difficulties. He had recently had a claim of workers’ compensation denied by a court because he was not properly registered as an employee of the contractor.

According to his former employer, interviewed in the paper, Sebastian H had been fired three times over the course of 10 years of working for the company because of various problems. The owner said that Sebastian H had threatened him several times and that he had contacted the police about it. ACV has not commented on the claims of the employer.