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Shock in Villach: Knife attack on passers-by – one dead and several injured!
On February 15, 2025, a 23-year-old Syrian man stabbed several passers-by in Villach. The attack is classified as Islamist-motivated. A brave witness prevented something worse from happening by ramming the perpetrator with his car. The police investigation is in full swing.
Shock in Villach: Knife attack on passers-by – one dead and several injured!
In a shocking incident in Villach, Austria, on February 15, 2025, a 14-year-old student was killed during an Islamist-motivated knife attack. The 23-year-old Syrian perpetrator, who attacked passers-by in the main square with a folding knife, was arrested by the police within a few minutes. A total of five other people, aged 15 to 36, were seriously injured in the attack, as state police director Michaela Kohlweiß announced. The perpetrator claimed responsibility for the terrorist organization “Islamic State” (IS), which makes the attack a clear act of radical Islam, the police confirmed after investigating his apartment, where similar evidence was found. Together with Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Villach Mayor Günther Albel, the population was asked for comprehensive help and vigilance. In addition, police increased their presence throughout the region, while a second perpetrator was initially suspected but turned out to be misinformation, leading to a massive alarm manhunt, Kohlweiß said.
Investigations into the murder of Mehmet Turgut
The violent incident in Villach drew increased public attention to the murder of Mehmet Turgut, who was shot almost twenty years ago on February 25, 2004 in a kebab shop in Rostock. This murder is considered to be part of a nationwide series of murders committed by the right-wing extremist group NSU. The then 25-year-old Turk was executed in cold blood after the perpetrators forced him to lie on the ground. Despite numerous indications of a possible xenophobic background, the investigators rejected this and temporarily presented the murder as an isolated crime. This led to massive criticism of the investigation, which only years later recognized the connection to a series of serial murders. The incidents raise serious questions about the political and security perceptions surrounding xenophobic violence in Germany, particularly in the run-up to the 20th anniversary of Turgut's death, which will be commemorated at the newly created memorial on Neudierkower Weg in Rostock.