Vienna terrorist attack leaves at least four dead and 15 wounded
By Christopher F. Schuetze, Melissa Eddy, Katrin Bennhold and Christoph Koettl
VIENNA –Multiple gunmen opened fire in central Vienna on Monday (2) night, killing at least four people and wounding many others, including a police officer, government officials said.
One of the attackers was also killed, they said.
At least 15 people were wounded in the attack and were being treated in hospitals, according to the spokesman for the hospital association. At least seven were wounded seriously, according to Vienna’s mayor.
“It is definitely a terror attack,” said Austria’s chancellor, Sebastian Kurz.
Early Tuesday (3) morning, the interior minister, Karl Nehammer, said that at least one of the attackers was still being sought. He described the perpetrators as “heavily armed and dangerous.”
The Vienna police said the attack, which began around 8 p.m. Vienna time, involved “several suspects armed with rifles.” The gunmen opened fire in six different locations as they made their way through central Vienna, officials said.
The shooting took place in the heart of the Austrian capital, hours before the midnight start of a nationwide lockdown, one of several being imposed in Europe to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
“We have become the victim of a disgusting terror attack that is still going on,” Kurz said in a televised address to the nation just before midnight.
As the night wore on, more gunfire was reported elsewhere across Vienna’s 1st District. Police officials described a chaotic situation, with several “exchanges of shots.” Emergency vehicles blocked off streets, and a streetcar line through the area was shut down.
The chancellor said he had called in troops to ensure the security of Austria’s official buildings, freeing up the police to “concentrate fully on the fight against terror.”
Tensions eased a bit as police officers began escorting people who had been trapped in bars and restaurants through security corridors. The opera house and a theatre were also evacuated.
But the police maintained a heavy presence in the centre of the city as they searched for suspects. More than 150 special police officers and 100 regular duty officers were on duty, and a crisis team in the Interior Ministry was overseeing the response.
“There is a lot to monitor,” Mayor Michael Ludwig said. “Many people are still in the inner city and we have to see that we get as many of them out of there.”
The authorities urged people to stay home and avoid the middle of the city. They also said children would be allowed to stay home from school Tuesday.
The attackers struck as Austrians congregated outdoors to enjoy a final night out before the country imposes strict new measures to control the pandemic.
French President Emmanuel Macron posted a message of support on Twitter in German, in which he referred to the recent terror attacks in his country.
“We French share the shock and grief of the Austrian people after an attack in Vienna,” Macron wrote. “After France it has been another friendly country that has been attacked. This is our Europe. Our enemies have to know who they are dealing with. We won’t give in.”
“Frightening, disturbing news reaches us from Vienna this evening,” read a statement from the German government, re-tweeted by Steffen Seibert, a spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel. “Even if the scale of the terror is not yet clear: our thoughts are with the injured and victims in these difficult hours. We mustn’t give way to hatred that is meant to split our societies.”
On the eve of the United States election, as many in the country feared potential unrest, President Donald Trump also tweeted his condolences:
“Our prayers are with the people of Vienna after yet another vile act of terrorism in Europe. These evil attacks against innocent people must stop. The U.S. stands with Austria, France, and all of Europe in the fight against terrorists, including radical Islamic terrorists,” he wrote.
Trump’s national security adviser, Robert C. O’Brien, said in a statement that the country was praying for the people of Vienna. “We stand with Austria, France and all of Europe in the fight against terrorism,” O’Brien said.
Joe Biden, Trump’s Democratic opponent, said that he and his wife, Jill, were “keeping the victims and their families in our prayers.” He added, “We must all stand united against hate and violence.”
In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the attack “horrific and heartbreaking” and condemned it “in the strongest terms possible.”
-New York Times