VIENNA — A 23-year-old man stabbed 5 passersby in southern Austria on Saturday in what police mentioned was a random assault that left a 14-year-old lifeless and 4 others injured.
The suspect was detained within the metropolis of Villach, the place the assault happened, police mentioned. He’s a Syrian nationwide with authorized residence in Austria, they mentioned.
Police spokesperson Rainer Dionisio mentioned a motive was not instantly identified. He added that police had been investigating the attacker’s private background. “Now we have to attend till we get safe info,” he mentioned.
A 42-year-old man who works for a meals supply firm witnessed the incident from his automotive, police mentioned. He drove towards the suspect and helped to forestall 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 mentioned.
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 all the time mentioned with readability and unambiguously: Those that reside in Carinthia, in Austria, need to respect the legislation and modify to our guidelines and values.”
Far-right chief Herbert Kickl mentioned 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 power.”
“On the identical time, I’m offended — offended 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 together with his life,” Kickl mentioned.
“From Austria to the EU — the mistaken guidelines are in drive in all places. No person is allowed to problem them, the whole lot is said sacrosanct,” he mentioned, including that his celebration had outlined what he considered as crucial modifications to immigration legal guidelines in his celebration’s election platform.
“We want a rigorous crackdown on asylum and should not proceed to import situations like these in Villach.”
Conservative celebration chief Christian Stocker mentioned on X that the attacker “should be dropped at justice and be punished with the total drive of the legislation.”
“All of us wish to reside in a secure Austria, including that this implies political measures have to be taken to “keep away from such acts of horror sooner or later,” he mentioned.
The chief of the Social Democrats, Andreas Babler, mentioned on X that “the total drive of the legislation” should be used. “Crimes like this one merely shouldn’t occur in our society.”
Austria’s Inside Minister Gerhard Karner was anticipated in Villach on Sunday morning, in response to Austria’s public broadcaster ORF.
On Sunday, authorities deliberate to determine a zone within the metropolis heart for individuals who wish to grieve.
Police mentioned 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 response to 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 nations, amongst them Austria, mentioned in December they’re suspending choices on asylum claims by Syrian nationals due to the unclear political state of affairs of their homeland following the autumn of Bashar Assad.
The problem of migration has taken heart stage in lots of European nations, with far-right events making inroads in elections.
In Austria, migration was a outstanding matter main as much as final yr’s election, which resulted within the far-right Freedom Occasion securing its first nationwide election victory since World Battle II.
On Saturday, police in neighboring Germany mentioned a 2-year-old woman 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 changing into a big situation forward of upcoming elections on Feb. 23.