Brutal knife attack in Villach: 14-year-old dies, perpetrator arrested!

Brutal knife attack in Villach: 14-year-old dies, perpetrator arrested!

Something sinister is brewing in Austria: a brutal knife attack cost the life of a 14-year-old in Villach on Saturday. The suspected perpetrator, a 23-year-old Syrian with residence rights in Austria, stabbed passers-by several times around 4 p.m., seriously injuring several people. The attack happened near the main square and left a shocking toll of five people injured, police confirmed. Three of the victims are currently in intensive care, while the 14-year-old tragically died. According to investigations, the attacker had used a folding knife with a ten-centimeter-long blade that he had previously ordered on the Internet, which indicates a targeted killing intention Focus reported.

A brave food delivery man, also of Syrian origin, was able to prevent something worse from happening by hitting the attacker with his car. The 42-year-old, who said he was picking up an order, acted instinctively when he saw the injured people. He accelerated and hit the attacker, which stopped his attacks and alerted the police. A court spokesman confirmed the arrest of the perpetrator, who showed no remorse and appeared euphoric. His rapid radicalization via the Internet was classified by the Interior Minister as Islamist-motivated, supported by witness statements who reported that the attacker shouted 'Allahu Akbar' during the attack, according to the report Small newspaper.

Political reactions and security concerns

The ongoing violence has sparked not only sadness but also heated political discussions. Politicians from various parties are shocked; Christian Stocker from the ÖVP calls for a rethink in security policy. Herbert Kickl from the FPÖ even speaks of a “system failure of the first order” and addresses the issue of restrictive migration policy. While the investigations are being carried out by the State Office for State Security and Extremism, society remains on alert as the problem apparently can no longer be ignored.