Violent confrontation in Vienna: 39-year-old found dead after police operation

Violent confrontation in Vienna: 39-year-old found dead after police operation

On the night of Thursday, November 30th, there was an unprecedented large-scale police operation in Vienna, which was triggered by a man armed with a knife. At around 9:30 p.m., concerned calls were received from passersby on Kapaunplatz who had noticed the suspect in a threatening condition. The police arrived with a large contingent, including units from WEGA, Cobra and service dog units. The situation escalated when the man fled to his nearby apartment after the initial confrontations. He was armed with a long gun that resembled a replica of an AK47 and pointed it at the arriving officers, according to courier.at reported.

Disputes within the family escalate

Parallel to these events, police were called to another incident on Landstrasse at around 10 p.m. A 21-year-old man was threatened with a knife by his brother, a 20-year-old, in their apartment. The argument, the background to which remains unclear, led to the temporary arrest of the younger brother, who did not confess and was banned from entering the building and banned from carrying weapons. How vienna.at reported, the 21-year-old victim exercised his right to refuse to testify.

During the course of the large-scale operation, further tense situations arose. After the first shots were fired in the stairwell, the man retreated to his apartment. Investigations eventually revealed that police were forced to force open the door after the suspect was found lifeless. In addition to the weapon, possible explosive equipment was also discovered in the apartment. This led to the evacuation of the adjacent living spaces. A toxicology test was ordered to determine whether the man was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the incident. The man's identity turned out to be a 39-year-old Austrian. The State Criminal Police Office has begun an investigation and the man's motive remains unclear.