Taxi driver in Vienna-Favoriten: brutal knife attack shocked!

Taxi driver in Vienna-Favoriten: brutal knife attack shocked!

In Vienna-Favoriten, a 60-year-old taxi driver was the victim of a dangerous attack late on Tuesday when a 25-year-old passenger suddenly pulled out a kitchen knife. The taxi driver was on his way from Quellenstrasse to Czeikestrasse when the attacker asked him to hand over his wallet. The taxi driver refused, which resulted in him being punched in the face. The perpetrator ultimately fled without any loot.

The taxi driver immediately received initial medical care from the Vienna professional rescue service and was then released into home care. Despite an intensive search, the perpetrator remains unknown; the investigation was carried out by Vienna State Criminal Police Office taken over.

Worrying development

This incident is part of a worrying trend in attacks on taxi drivers in Vienna. Just in January, a 55-year-old taxi driver was threatened with a knife and robbed by a gang of minors; A 13-year-old Syrian national was among the suspects. In addition, at the end of February, a 57-year-old taxi driver was the victim of a knife attack in which the perpetrator tried to stab him. Fortunately, the taxi driver only suffered minor injuries.

The incidents highlight the increasing level of violence against taxi drivers in the city and shed a worrying light on even younger perpetrators.

Juvenile attacks

Another worrying aspect is the attacks by groups of children and young people. In December, five people between the ages of 12 and 15 attacked a total of three taxi drivers in Vienna. Some of these attacks were carried out with a pistol, a knife and an iron bar. A 15-year-old suspect was taken into custody, while the others, who are under criminal responsibility, were reported.

The investigations carried out by the police revealed that some of the suspects are known to the authorities and have already been noticed in thefts in the past. The young people, including Afghan and Syrian citizens, were involved in the attacks in different ways. Fortunately, there were no injuries in these incidents.

Police have also received several complaints from taxi drivers who were threatened by the youths while they were hailing taxis and intimidating the drivers. These incidents make it clear that not only adults, but also very young perpetrators pose an increased risk for taxi drivers and raise concerns about safety on public transport in Vienna.