A Syrian national has been detained by police after stabbing at least five in the city of Villach.
A knife attack occurred in the southern Austrian city of Villach on Saturday, leaving one teenager dead and at least four other people wounded. The suspect, identified as a 23-year-old Syrian national, was apprehended by police in the aftermath of the incident.
The victim was a 14-year-old teenager, police spokesman Rainer Dionisio told AFP. The motive behind the attack was not immediately clear, and the investigation is still ongoing.
“A man randomly attacked passers-by with a knife,” the spokesman said.
A 23-year-old Syrian asylum seeker randomly stabbed five people on the street near the Drau Bridge in Villach, killing a 14-year-old boy. A food delivery driver stopped the attack by hitting him with a car. One suspect is in custody, others may still be on the run. #Villach pic.twitter.com/3ACokcC9x6
— Geopoliti𝕏 (@DalioTroy) February 15, 2025
Two of the four people injured received serious wounds, with the others suffering light injuries, Austrian national broadcaster ORF reported. The attack was apparently interrupted by a delivery worker who drove his vehicle at the suspect, preventing further harm, police told the outlet. The authorities have not ruled out the possibility that a second perpetrator may have been involved.
According to media reports, citing eyewitnesses, the suspect shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the rampage.
Unverified imagery circulating online purports to show the man confronted by an armed policewoman. He appears to be smiling in the aftermath of the attack while raising the index finger of his right hand. The gesture, which refers to the Muslim affirmation of faith, has been widely used by Islamic radicals, including Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorists.
Shoot the bastard and drop him off in a rubbish bag in the shithole he came from.
ISIS = Israel secret intelligence service, a proxy of the Empire.