A 23-year-old man carried out a stabbing spree in southern Austria on Saturday, injuring six individuals, one of whom was a 14-year-old boy who tragically lost his life. The police reported that this act appeared to be random and occurred in the city of Villach. The assailant, identified as a Syrian national legally residing in Austria, was apprehended at the scene.
Authorities have yet to ascertain a clear motive for the attack; investigations into the suspect’s background are currently ongoing. Police spokesperson Rainer Dionisio mentioned that more information is needed before they can draw any conclusions. A heroic action came from a 42-year-old food delivery worker who witnessed the stabbing from his vehicle. He drove towards the assailant and intervened, potentially preventing further harm, according to police statements shared with public broadcaster ORF.
All the victims of the attack were men, with two suffering serious injuries and two others sustaining minor wounds. Later in the day, a fifth man was also reported injured. Peter Kaiser, the governor of Carinthia, expressed heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased teenager, emphasizing that such a horrific act should lead to severe repercussions.
Kaiser stated, “This outrageous atrocity must be met with harsh consequences. I have always been clear: those residing in Carinthia, and Austria at large, must adhere to our laws and standards.” Concurrently, far-right party leader Herbert Kickl expressed his shock at the incident through social media, remarking on the need to address the rising crime rates in Austria. He criticized politicians for what he deemed a failure of the system, which led to such violence, calling for necessary reforms to immigration laws.
Christian Stocker, the leader of the conservative party, echoed the sentiment on social media, insisting that the assailant must face justice and be punished to the fullest extent of the law. He stressed the communal desire for a safe Austria and called for political action to mitigate future acts of violence. Meanwhile, Social Democrat leader Andreas Babler insisted that the strongest penalties should be imposed, denouncing such crimes as unacceptable in society.
Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner was anticipated to visit Villach on Sunday morning. Officials organized a designated area within the city centre to support the community in mourning this tragic event. Investigators are still delving into whether the suspect acted independently and are on the lookout for any additional suspects, while the connection between the attacker and victims remains uncertain.
The Interior Ministry revealed that there were 24,941 asylum applications in Austria during 2024, with the largest contingent being from Syrian nationals. Over the preceding two years, the numbers seeking asylum had significantly reduced, peaking in 2022 at over 100,000 applications, while around 59,000 pursued asylum in 2023. Many European countries, including Austria, decided in December to halt decisions on asylum requests from Syrians due to the complicated political landscape following the regime changes in Syria.
Migration issues are surfacing as an increasingly critical topic within European nations, with far-right parties gaining traction in elections. In Austria, the subject of migration was notably prominent during the last election cycle, during which the far-right Freedom Party achieved its first national electoral success since World War II.
In a related event, German police announced on Saturday the unfortunate deaths of a mother and her 2-year-old daughter, who succumbed two days post-injury in a car-ramming incident connected to a labor union demonstration in Munich. This tragic occurrence marks the fifth violent event involving immigrants in Germany over the last nine months, intensifying discussions around migration as the country prepares for elections on February 23.