VIENNA (AP) — A 23-year-old man stabbed six passersby in southern Austria on Saturday in what police stated was a random assault that left a 14-year-old lifeless and 5 others injured.
The suspect was detained within the metropolis of Villach, the place the assault occurred, police stated. He’s a Syrian nationwide with authorized residence in Austria, they stated.
Police spokesperson Rainer Dionisio stated a motive was not instantly identified. He added that police had been investigating the attacker’s private background. “We have now to attend till we get safe data,” he stated.
A 42-year-old man who works for a meals supply firm witnessed the incident from his automotive, police stated. He drove towards the suspect and helped to stop issues from getting worse, Dionisio instructed Austria’s public broadcaster ORF.
The victims had been all males, with two severely injured and two sustaining minor accidents, police stated. Afterward Saturday, police stated a fifth particular person, additionally a person, was injured within the assault.
Peter Kaiser, the governor of the Austrian province of Carinthia, expressed his condolences to the household of the 14-year-old sufferer.
“This outrageous atrocity should be met with harsh penalties. I’ve at all times stated with readability and unambiguously: Those that dwell in Carinthia, in Austria, need to respect the regulation and modify to our guidelines and values.”
Far-right chief Herbert Kickl stated on the X social media platform that he’s “appalled by the horrific act in Villach” and wished the household of the 14-year-old sufferer who was killed within the assault “a lot energy.”
“On the similar time, I’m indignant – indignant at these politicians who’ve allowed stabbings, rapes, gang wars and different capital crimes to turn into the order of the day in Austria. It is a first-class failure of the system, for which a younger man in Villach has now needed to pay along with his life,” Kickl stated.
“From Austria to the EU – the flawed guidelines are in pressure in every single place. No one is allowed to problem them, all the pieces is said sacrosanct,” he stated, including that his get together had outlined what he considered as vital adjustments to immigration legal guidelines in his get together’s election platform.
“We’d like a rigorous crackdown on asylum and should not proceed to import situations like these in Villach.”
Conservative get together chief Christian Stocker stated on X that the attacker “should be dropped at justice and be punished with the complete pressure of the regulation.”
“All of us need to dwell in a secure Austria, including that this implies political measures should be taken to “keep away from such acts of horror sooner or later,” he stated.
The chief of the Social Democrats, Andreas Babler, stated on X that “the complete pressure of the regulation” should be used. “Crimes like this one merely mustn’t occur in our society.”
Austria’s Inside Minister Gerhard Karner was anticipated in Villach on Sunday morning, based on Austria’s public broadcaster ORF.
On Sunday, authorities deliberate to determine a zone within the metropolis heart for many who need to grieve.
Police stated it wasn’t clear whether or not the suspect acted alone and continued to seek for potential further suspects. It wasn’t instantly identified whether or not there’s any connection between the attacker and the victims.
In accordance with the Inside Ministry, 24,941 foreigners utilized for asylum in Austria in 2024. The most important group of candidates was from Syria, adopted by Afghanistan.
Over the previous two years, the variety of asylum seekers has decreased considerably. In 2022, functions peaked at over 100,000, whereas roughly 59,000 people sought asylum in 2023.
A number of European international locations, amongst them Austria, stated in December they’re suspending selections on asylum claims by Syrian nationals due to the unclear political scenario of their homeland following the autumn of Bashar Assad.
The difficulty of migration has taken heart stage in lots of European international locations, with far-right events making inroads in elections.
In Austria, migration was a distinguished matter main as much as final 12 months’s election, which resulted within the far-right Freedom Occasion securing its first nationwide election victory since World Warfare II.
On Saturday, police in neighboring Germany stated a 2-year-old lady and her mom died two days after being injured in a car-ramming assault throughout a labor union demonstration in Munich. It marked the fifth assault involving immigrants in Germany over the previous 9 months, with migration turning into a big situation forward of upcoming elections on Feb. 23.
