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VIENNA | Several armed men were still at large after sowing terror on Monday evening in the center of Vienna, killing two, including a suspect and several wounded, “a disgusting terrorist attack” according to the Austrian chancellor.
The shootings occurred early in the evening, hours before a containment of Austria to fight the COVID-19 pandemic took effect.
The drama took place in the heart of the city, near an important synagogue and the Opera House. “Six different places” were targeted, police said.
“At this point, it is not possible to say whether the synagogue” was the target of the shooters, reacted Oskar Deutsch, president of the Jewish Community of Vienna (IKG).
Several authors whose motives are not yet known are involved, the government said.
One of the attackers was shot dead by police, promptly intervened at the scene and one of the members was injured.
No details were provided on the identity of the deceased. The mayor of the city also reported 15 people hospitalized, including 7 in serious condition.
There, a large number of police forces mobilized to secure the scene, an AFP photographer noted, as passers-by fled. Shortly afterwards, the Opera spectators left the performance under escort, the last before confinement.
“Stay at home”
The minister called on residents to be cautious and stay home. “Stay at home! If you are outside, take refuge somewhere! Stay away from public places, do not use transport! », Launched the police on his Twitter account.
Shots fired in the Inner City district – there are persons injured – KEEP AWAY from all public places or public Transport – don’t share any Videos or Fotos!
– POLIZEI WIEN (@LPDWien) November 2, 2020
One witness, interviewed on a television station, said he saw “a person running with an automatic weapon, shooting wildly”, another witness reporting “at least 50 shots”.
According to the testimony of a young woman interviewed by AFP, the neighborhood was immediately cordoned off. Patrons of the neighborhood restaurants and bars were still confined indoors in the middle of the night.
“All of a sudden the waiters turned off the lights and asked people to step away from the windows,” she said.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz strongly condemned these attacks. “We will never allow ourselves to be intimidated by terrorism and we will fight these attacks with all our means”, he said, expressing his thoughts for “the victims, the injured and their relatives”.
“Cowardly act”
The European Union has also “strongly” castigated this “horrible attack”, in the words of European Council President Charles Michel, referring to “a cowardly act” which “violates life and our human values”. For her part, the President of the European Commission writes, also on Twitter: “Europe stands in solidarity with Austria. We are stronger than hatred and terror ”.
Europe strongly condemns this cowardly act that violates life and our human values.
My thoughts are with the victims and the people of #Vienna in the wake of tonight’s horrific attack.
We stand with Austria @sebastiankurz
– Charles Michel (@eucopresident) November 2, 2020
“Our enemies need to know who they are dealing with. We will not give up anything ”, reacted for his part French President Emmanuel Macron.
We French share the shock and grief of the Austrian people struck this evening by an attack in the heart of their capital, Vienna. After France, it is a friendly country that is attacked. This is our Europe. Our enemies must know who they are dealing with. We will not give up.
– Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) November 2, 2020
Germany also said it expressed solidarity. “We must not give in to the hatred which seeks to divide our societies,” said his foreign ministry.
This new attack, in a city where crime is usually very low, takes place in a very tense climate in Europe.
In France, three people were killed Thursday in a knife attack at the Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption basilica in Nice (south-east) by a young Tunisian who had recently arrived in Europe.
The “vigipirate” security plan has been raised to the “emergency attack” level throughout the country.
A few days earlier, the beheading of Samuel Paty, a history teacher who had shown caricatures of Muhammad to his students in a course on freedom of expression, had shocked beyond France and plunged the teaching world into the dread and astonishment.
