59-year-old threatens teenager in Vienna with a hatchet – shock in new building!

59-year-old threatens teenager in Vienna with a hatchet – shock in new building!

On June 1, 2025, a frightening incident occurred in Vienna-Neubau, more precisely on Mariahilfer Straße. A 59-year-old Slovakian citizen threatened a 15-year-old youth with an axe. The incident occurred as the teenager walked past the homeless man. The situation escalated and the teenager was attacked with the hatchet.

Officers from the Fuhrmannsgasse police station arrested the suspected perpetrator on site. During the arrest, the hatchet was found in the man's bag and confiscated. During his interrogation, the 59-year-old said that he was afraid of cell phones and believed that the young person wanted to harm him with his cell phone. This bizarre motif raises questions about the perpetrator's mental state.

Arrest and investigation

The Vienna public prosecutor's office ordered the man to be transferred to a correctional facility. The investigation into the incident is ongoing. It remains to be seen what additional information will come to light as the justice system decides what to do with the defendant.

Viewed in a larger context, such incidents highlight the challenges faced by homeless people in Vienna. According to a study, there are over 300 homeless youth living in the city. Some are in crisis centers or emergency sleeping quarters, while others live on the streets. These living conditions often lead to precarious security and behaviors that are associated with psychological stress.

Social aspects and challenges

Research on homeless young people in Vienna shows how important an intact private sphere is for the personal development of young people. The study asks how homeless young people experience privacy in public spaces and what forms this can take. It is found that even in precarious life situations there remains a need for withdrawal and privacy.

The ethnographic analysis deals with the moving fates of young people who often live in crisis situations. This contrasts with the countless challenges they face, even within a supposedly safe society like Vienna.

When we reflect on incidents like the one on June 1st, it becomes clear that the situation for many homeless people, especially young people, is often one of uncertainty and fear. Society is called upon to take preventive measures as well as to provide the victims and perpetrators of violence with the necessary support.

The incident not only poses a danger to those affected, but also highlights the urgent need for measures to improve the lives of homeless young people in Vienna and promote their integration into society.

vienna.at reported that the teenager was attacked that same morning, around 6:30 a.m., during today.at provides further details about the arrest of the perpetrator and the investigation. The social background is comprehensively examined in the study on homeless young people who are under utheses.univie.ac.at can be found.