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Man killed and several people injured in terror attack in Vienna Gunmen on loose in Vienna after string of terror attacks
(about 1 hour later)
One attacker shot dead and another arrested after police officer and at least 14 others injured Two people dead – including one attacker – after string of incidents in Austrian capital
At least one person was killed and 15 others – including at least one police officer – were seriously injured in exchanges of gunfire in central Vienna that Austria’s interior minister described as a terror attack. Police in Vienna were hunting for a group of “heavily armed and dangerous” gunmen on Monday night after a string of shootings described by the Austrian chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, as a “repulsive terror attack”.
One attacker was shot dead after incidents at six locations close to Seitenstettengasse street in the heart of the Austrian capital, a spokesperson for Vienna’s police force told broadcaster ORF. Two people were killed and 15 others – including at least one police officer – were seriously injured in exchanges of gunfire in the centre of the Austrian capital.
The local APA news agency reported that a bystander had also been shot dead. One of those killed was an attacker who was shot dead by police. But several other gunmen were still on the loose on Monday night, and Karl Nehammer, the interior minister, warned that they were “heavily armed and dangerous”.
“At the moment I can confirm we believe this is an apparent terror attack,” Karl Nehammer, the interior minister, told ORF. “We have brought several special forces units together that are now searching for the presumed terrorists. I am therefore not limiting it to an area of Vienna because these are mobile perpetrators,” Nehammer told broadcaster ORF, urging the public to stay indoors until the all-clear was given.
He said the attacks were thought to have been carrried out by several people with long guns, adding there were likely to be more casualties. Shootings occurred in a string of incidents at six locations close to Seitenstettengasse street in the heart of the Austrian capital, a spokesperson for Vienna’s police force told ORF.
“We believe there are several perpetrators. Unfortunately there are also several injured, probably also dead,” he said. “We are currently experiencing difficult hours in our republic. I would like to thank all the emergency forces who are risking their lives for our safety, especially today. Our police will take decisive action against the perpetrators of this repulsive terrorist attack,” Kurz tweeted.
A total of 15 people were being treated for injuries in local hospitals late on Monday, a spokesperson for the Vienna hospital association told ORF. Seven victims were reported to be critical condition. A shooter had “shot wildly with an automatic weapon” before the police arrived and opened fire, one eyewitness told ORF.
“Shots fired in the Inner City district – there are persons injured - KEEP AWAY from all public places or public transport,” police had tweeted. “It sounded like firecrackers, then we realised it was shots,” the witness added.
The shooting began just hours before Austria was due to introduce new coronavirus restrictions, including a curfew from midnight to 6am, and bars and restaurants were packed as people enjoyed a final night of relative freedom.
Nehammer urged local residents to remain in their homes. “We believe there are several perpetrators. Unfortunately there are also several injured, probably also dead,” he said.
A total of 15 people were being treated for injuries in local hospitals late on Monday, a spokesperson for the Vienna hospital association told ORF. Seven victims were reported to be in critical condition.
“Shots fired in the Inner City district – there are persons injured - KEEP AWAY from all public places or public transport,” police had tweeted earlier.
“There are several injured persons,” they added. “We are on site with all available forces. Please avoid all public squares in the city.”“There are several injured persons,” they added. “We are on site with all available forces. Please avoid all public squares in the city.”
Earlier reports had suggested that the nearby Stadttempel synagogue could have been the target of the attack. Initial reports had suggested that the nearby Stadttempel synagogue could have been the target of the attack.
But Oskar Deutsch, president of the Jewish Community Vienna, said the synagogue on Seitenstettengasse and the office building at the same address were already closed at the time of the attack, and it was “unclear” if it was one of the targets of the attack.But Oskar Deutsch, president of the Jewish Community Vienna, said the synagogue on Seitenstettengasse and the office building at the same address were already closed at the time of the attack, and it was “unclear” if it was one of the targets of the attack.
Deutsch told the Kurier newspaper that no members of Vienna’s Jewish community were among those injured in the attack.Deutsch told the Kurier newspaper that no members of Vienna’s Jewish community were among those injured in the attack.
Citing an interview with a rabbi living directly above the Stadttempel synagogue, newspaper Kurier reported an attacker had taken random shots at people sitting outside cafes and bars on Judengasse and Seitenstettengasse in central Vienna. “He did not aim at the Stadttempel [synagogue]”, the witness said. Citing an interview with a rabbi living directly above the synagogue, Kurier reported an attacker had taken random shots at people sitting outside cafes and bars on Judengasse and Seitenstettengasse in central Vienna. “He did not aim at the Stadttempel [synagogue],” the witness said.
ORF cited witnesses as saying that several shots were fired shortly after 8pm (7pm GMT). The police operation was taking place in the centre of Vienna, close to the Danube river. The synagogue was the target of a terror attack almost four decades ago. On 29 August 1981, two members of the Palestinian group Fatah – The Revolutionary Council, also known as ANO – tried to storm the synagogue building but were stopped by security forces. Two people were killed and 21 others injured in the attack.
New coronavirus restrictions came into force in Austria on Monday, including a curfew from midnight to 6am. More recently, however, Austria had been spared the sort of major attacks that have hit other European countries.
French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted that “we French share the shock and sorrow of the Austrian people”.
“After France, it’s a friendly nation that has been attacked,” he added, referring to the killing on Thursday of three people by a knife-armed attacker in southern city Nice and the beheading of a schoolteacher by a suspected Islamist outside Paris several days before.
ORF cited witnesses as saying that several shots were fired shortly after 8pm (7pm GMT) on Monday. The police operation was taking place in the centre of Vienna, close to the Danube river.
Police repeatedly appealed for witnesses to refrain from sharing photographs or video from the scene after footage which appeared to show an injured policeman was briefly posted on Twitter.Police repeatedly appealed for witnesses to refrain from sharing photographs or video from the scene after footage which appeared to show an injured policeman was briefly posted on Twitter.
More details soon … Czech police said they had started random checks on the border with Austria.
“Police are carrying out random checks of vehicles and passengers on border crossings with Austria as a preventive measure in relation to the terror attack in Vienna,” Czech police tweeted.