Police shoot man in psychological crisis in Vienna-Brigittenau

Police shoot man in psychological crisis in Vienna-Brigittenau

On June 16, 2025, a dramatic incident occurred in Vienna-Brigittenau in which a 28-year-old Serb threatened police officers with a kitchen knife. The situation escalated when the man did not respond to the officers' speech and the use of Tasers was unsuccessful. In what was considered a life-threatening moment, a police officer fired several shots, causing the victim to suffer life-threatening injuries. The Vienna professional rescue service immediately provided initial medical care before the man was transported to a hospital.

The circumstances of his behavior could potentially be related to a mental health crisis. The 28-year-old's parents had previously called 911 because they were concerned about their son's mental well-being and feared he might harm himself. Such cases are not uncommon and raise questions about the equipment and training of the police when dealing with mentally ill people.

Challenges for the police when dealing with mentally ill people

The statistical data shows that police officers in Germany have shot mentally ill people in 37 cases since 2019. These numbers highlight the need to better prepare officials for such crisis situations. But experts warn that there is often a lack of money and staff, making comprehensive training difficult daily news reported.

One of the best-known cases is that of Oisín, who was shot by the police in Hamburg in May 2019 after he approached police officers in a psychological state of emergency. The police were alerted after his wife pointed out her husband's mental health problems and possible dangers. This tragic incident sparked discussion about how to deal with mentally ill people in Germany and led to calls for binding training standards.

Need for improvement in training

At a conference that took place on November 8, 2023 at the Lower Saxony Police Academy, the topic of “Mentally ill people in contact with the police: focus and perspectives” was discussed. Around 200 guests took part in this event, where experts from police practice, psychology, law and medicine shared their experiences and insights. Carsten Rose, director of the Lower Saxony Police Academy, emphasized the challenges that police officers face in such operations.

The discussion also discussed public criticism of police operations. One focus was the need to better recognize when a person is mentally unstable. Both theory and practical exercises on these topics are an integral part of studying at the academy in order to better prepare officers for such critical situations.

Incidents like the one in Vienna on June 16, 2025 show that there is an urgent need for action to ensure the safety of both police officers and citizens in similar crisis situations. It remains to be seen what steps will be taken to further improve the training of police officers and prevent tragic incidents.