Koenraad Degroote, the municipal head of Dentergem in western Belgium, revealed that a man in his 90s is believed to have fatally knifed two fellow elderly residents within the confines of a local nursing home, on Friday—a chilling breach of an otherwise quiet community.

Degroote, speaking to AFP, shared that a third resident now clings to life in a hospital bed following the violent outburst in the care facility, a harrowing turn that has surprised the small town.

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All those targeted were nonagenarians, he noted, as was the alleged perpetrator—a resident himself—casting a surreal shadow over the home meant for rest and care, according to the mayor’s account.

The regional prosecutor’s office confirmed to AFP that authorities have detained a suspect tied to the double slaying, with another victim under urgent medical watch, though specifics remain sparse pending further word from the judicial investigator overseeing the case.

Both Degroote and the prosecution held back on deeper insights, signaling that the probe’s next steps hinge on the investigating judge’s forthcoming findings—a wait that leaves lingering questions in the air.