INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

Brussels Terror Attacks: American Stephanie Shults Confirmed Dead

By Sara Hunter Smith
Published on: 14:32 PST, Mar 26, 2016

The Brussels terror attacks have claimed another victim. American Stephanie Shults had been listed as missing after the attack on Brussels airport last Tuesday, but CBS News reports that her death is now confirmed. Stephanie and her husband Justin were both killed in the Brussels airport bombing.

As previously reported in the Inquisitr, Justin was confirmed killed earlier today but their families were still holding out hope that Stephanie would be found safe. However, a statement on Facebook from Mars Inc., Stephanie’s employer in Brussels, confirmed the worst news.

“‘Today we learned from Stephanie’s family that she and her husband, Justin, were among those killed in the attack on the Brussels airport…we are mourning the loss of our colleague and friend. Our hearts and thoughts are with their families and with all those who are suffering during this terrible time.'”

Justin Shults’ brother, Levi, tweeted his sadness after it was announced that Stephanie had been killed in the Brussels terror attacks.

Stephanie, 29, lived and worked in Brussels with Justin but was originally from Lexington, Kentucky. The couple had lived in Nashville. The Shults had been at Brussels airport dropping Stephanie’s mother, Carolyn Moore, for a return flight to the U.S. after a visit. Moore was slightly injured in the attack. The Shults’ family had flown to Belgium after the Brussels terror attacks to search for the couple.

As reported by the Daily Mail, the couple’s family had “expressed their disgust with officials” after being told that Justin and Stephanie were still alive after the attacks. Levi Shults posted the misinformation the family received on Twitter.

“My mom just received a phone call from a social worker in Belgium who is helping Stephanie’s mom. She informed my mom that someone in the state’s department gave my mom incorrect information. They asked me to remove any and all posts from social media. This is exactly what we were trying to avoid and now I’ve told friends and family members things that weren’t true…”

It was only after contacting their senator in Tennessee that the family discovered that neither Justin nor Stephanie had been located in any Brussels hospitals. The family then endured hours of frustration and uncertainty as they attempted to locate the couple.

According to CNN, the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office announced today that another arrest has been made in connection with the Brussels terror attacks. A suspect known only as “Faycal C” was charged with “terrorist murder, participation in terrorist activities and attempted terrorist murder.”

The Belgian authorities are still trying to disentangle the details of the horrific attacks, which took place at Zaventem airport and Maelbeek subway station. Maelbeek is located near the headquarters of the European Union, prompting fears that that too would become a target.

The extent of the links between the Brussels terror attacks and the Paris attacks in November 2015 are still being investigated. The Paris bombings took the lives of 130 innocent people.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the Brussels attacks. There are concerns that the number of ISIS attacks are increasing as the terrorist organization loses more ground in Iraq and Syria.

The Brussels terror attacks have now claimed the lives of 28 people, including at least four Americans. The Shults’ alma mater, Vanderbilt University, released a statement from Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos.

“We are saddened to learn that the deaths of Vanderbilt alumni Justin and Stephanie Shults have been confirmed. Our hearts go out to their families and friends as they begin to cope with their passing. Both Justin and Stephanie received degrees from our Owen Graduate School of Management. Justin also received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt. This bright young couple chose, in the spirit of discovery, to become global citizens in order to grow, to learn and to broaden their perspective. They represented the very best of Vanderbilt and Owen.”

[Photo by Martin Meissner/AP Images]

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