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Knife stabbing in Ottakring: 24-year-old injured after provocation!
There was a stabbing in Vienna-Ottakring today. A 24-year-old was injured in the neck after provocation. Perpetrator on the run.
Knife stabbing in Ottakring: 24-year-old injured after provocation!
This afternoon, a 24-year-old man was the victim of a violent attack in Vienna-Ottakring. The incident occurred when the man was sitting on a bench with a friend and was provoked by an unknown perpetrator. The words “What are you looking at?” fell before the attacker attacked the victim with a machete in his waistband and inflicted a stab wound on his neck. The Vienna professional rescue service cared for the injured victim and transported him to the hospital. According to police, the injuries are comparatively minor.
Police spokeswoman Anna Gutt confirmed the victim's account from witnesses. A passerby took a photo of the perpetrator before he fled. Investigations by the Vienna State Criminal Police Office are currently underway; a political motive is not yet apparent. The background to the attack remains unclear.
Increasing knife attacks in Austria
The incident in Ottakring is part of a worrying trend. The number of reported violent crimes involving stabbing weapons in Austria has increased significantly in recent years. While 1,524 crimes were reported in 2013, the number rose to 2,393 in 2022, as the crime statistics from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BK) show. The peak was recorded in 2016 with 2,530 attacks. Since then, the number has fluctuated between 2,100 and 2,500 annually.
In contrast, the data shows a decline in violent crimes involving firearms. Since 2017, these have fallen from over 500-600 cases to under 400, with 305 cases reported in 2022. On the other hand, the use of cutting weapons remains constant at around 600 reports per year.
Political reactions and possible changes to the law
In response to the increasing violence, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) is planning a general ban on weapons in public spaces. The draft law is currently being drawn up by experts from the Ministry of the Interior and the state police departments. Possibly the carrying of certain knives should be banned. Weapons ban zones already exist, for example at the Praterstern in Vienna and in two zones in Innsbruck. These measures could help increase safety in public spaces and prevent similar incidents in the future.