Knife attack in the Wielandpark: 17-year-old causes horror in favorites

Knife attack in the Wielandpark: 17-year-old causes horror in favorites

In the Wielandpark in Vienna favorites, a serious incident occurred on Friday evening at 7:15 p.m. when an 18-year-old man was injured in a knife attack. According to Kosmo, the victim was stung on the back after it got into a conflict with three unknown people, one of whom pulled a folding knife. The perpetrators threatened the man to kill him if he should inform the police. The victim was immediately transported to the hospital, while the Keplergasse police inspection and the Vienna career rescue were deployed. A 17-year-old Syrian citizen was arrested near the crime scene and is considered a suspected main perpetrator.

The investigation was taken over by the Vienna State Criminal Police Office. This incident once again arouses concerns about increasing knife crime in favorites, an area that has been considered a ban on weapons since April 2024. By March 2025, 80 knives have already been confiscated there, which underlines the worrying situation. According to State Police President Gerhard Pürstl, violent crime in favorites is slightly declining, but the authorities still have to remain vigilant.

rising knife crime

Messer crime has increased in many urban areas in recent years. Since the introduction of the weapon ban last year, more than 100 knives have been ensured on the Reumannplatz, as [OE24] (https://www.oe24.at/oesterreich/chronik/wien/ Mehr-als-100-Ein-ein-jahrt-waffenbot-am-reumannplatz/628606111). Police spokesman Philipp Haßlinger speaks of an improvement in the situation, but the high numbers of the seized weapons, including pepper spray and whipped rings, raise questions. The weapons removed often come from Syrian and Austrian citizens, the information to carry them out for individual reasons.

experts like the criminal sociologist Dirk Baier express skepticism about a general ban on knife in public space. He points out that such bans in other countries have not shown the desired effect. Effective control requires intensive police controls, for which it often lacks personnel. This could put a strain on the relationship between citizens and the police, which continues to complicate the situation.

social context and measures

The increase in knife attacks is not limited to Austria. In Germany, too, there are alarming figures on violent crimes with knives, with up to 29,000 knife attacks last year, according to an analysis of Tagesschau. The federal government's coalition agreement speaks of tightening the weapons law and the introduction of knife -free zones in critical places. Despite these measures, the risk remains because laws and controls do not offer a complete security guarantee.

Criminologist Britta Bannenberg supports knife ban zones as a sensible increase in security in crime focus. In the context of this problem, Dirk Baier calls for a national action plan against knife crime, which includes social projects and educational campaigns in order to take preventive action against violence.

The current events in Vienna illustrate the urgent need for a coordinated approach to recognize and combat the causes of knife violence before further tragic incidents occur.