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In Monday night’s attack in central Vienna, four civilians and a 20-year-old murderer were killed. Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) announced details about the attack on Tuesday afternoon. Austria imposed a three-day state of mourning.
The fatalities are two women and two men. The murderer who was identified was shot to death during the police operation. On Tuesday, 13 people were still in the hospital, three in critical condition. The dead are an old man and an old woman, a young passerby and a waitress. Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) expressed his “deepest condolences” to the victims at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. At least he was able to give positive news: the police officer shot on duty by the murderer had undergone surgery and was stable. Nehammer did not forget to mention: “Two Austrians with a migratory background took him to safety.”
According to the latest research, Nehammer is currently assuming a single author. “Investigations are still ongoing, the high level of security in Vienna remains.” Now we must avoid that it is an act of repetition or imitation.
He gave the following details about the killer who was shot by the police in the attack in downtown Vienna: He was 20 years old, with North Macedonian roots and dual citizenship. According to Nehammer, he had a criminal record (Article 278b of the Penal Code) and had been released early. On April 25, 2019, he was sentenced to 22 months in prison for attempting to travel to Syria to join ISIS. “During the terrorist attack on Monday night he was armed with an assault rifle, pistol and machete. He carried out his brutal attack on innocent citizens with all these murderous tools,” Nehammer said. The Interior Minister criticized the fact that a radicalized man had been released early. “The fact is that the terrorist managed to deceive the de-radicalization program of the judiciary.” There were no warnings. Nehammer calls for an assessment of the system: in the future, it must be possible to take action against radicalized violent criminals.
As Nehammer pointed out, large raids have already been carried out in the vicinity of the perpetrator. Specifically, 18 house searches were carried out and 14 people close to the author were provisionally detained.
Compulsory schooling in the federal capital was suspended for Tuesday. Vienna schools are in “emergency operation” on Tuesday, he said from the education directorate. If possible, children should stay home. If this is not possible, they will be cared for in the schools.
Wiener Linien has been on the road without restrictions since operations began on Tuesday, the company announced. He approached all the stations again, including those in the city of Vienna. The planned installation of the Christmas tree on the Rathausplatz for Tuesday morning was canceled.
The attack began Monday around 8 p.m. at Seitenstettengasse in the lively Bermuda-Dreieck nightlife district, where many people were outside shortly before the start of the new crown curfews and in mild weather. Following the first emergency call to the police and the arrival of the emergency services, shootings broke out between the police and the perpetrators.
Assault rifle, pistol, machete, bomb dummy
The man, armed with an automatic assault rifle, a pistol and a machete, was also wearing a fake explosives belt, according to the interior minister. The general director of Public Security, Franz Ruf, reported that that night his apartment was opened with explosives and a house search was carried out. The interior minister did not respond to the question of whether a detonation perceived by witnesses in the evening in Simmering could have been the opening of the apartment.
Seven police officers used their service weapons during the terrorist attack on Monday night. According to the President of the Vienna State Police, Gerhard Pürstl, the attacker was “neutralized” at 8:09 pm by agents of the Vienna Alarm Department (WEGA).
Meanwhile, the Islamic Faith Community in Austria (IGGÖ) was “deeply shocked and stunned.” “During these hours, our thoughts are with those affected, their families and emergency services. May they survive the operation safely,” said a brief statement on Facebook on Tuesday.
What is known so far
- There are five dead and 22 wounded from gunshot wounds
- Four civilians were killed, as was the killer, who was found with an assault rifle and lots of ammunition. An explosives belt turned out to be a mannequin.
- Six confirmed crime scenes in the city of Vienna: the starting point was Seitenstettengasse in the immediate vicinity of the synagogue, Morzinplatz, Salzgries, the meat market, the farmers market and the Graben.
- 18 house searches and 14 arrests in the vicinity of the perpetrator.
- Compulsory schooling in Vienna is suspended on Tuesday.
