Villach in mourning: Remembrance week after fatal knife attack

Villach in mourning: Remembrance week after fatal knife attack

In Villach, a cruel knife attack overshadows the tranquil town. On Saturday afternoon, a 23-year-old Syrian citizen stabbed passersby and killed a 14-year-old teenager. Five other people were injured, three of whom are currently in intensive care. The perpetrator, who received asylum in Austria, was quickly caught after a brave food delivery driver stopped the attacker with his car, as the Nachrichten.at reported.

Radicalization on the Internet

During his first interrogation, the perpetrator stated that he had acted on behalf of the terrorist organization “Islamic State”. During a house search, the police found IS flags that the man had hung on the wall, according to Interior Minister Gerhard Karner. The young man had become radicalized via TikTok at an alarming rate, just within a few weeks, as state police director Michaela Kohlweiß found. This sheds a dark light on the dangers of online radicalization.

Extensive mourning work was organized in Villach to remember the victims. The city declared a week of mourning, during which books of condolence were displayed in town halls and churches. Pastoral care is available for mourners, including a candlelight procession led by parishes and the city together with Bishop Josef Marketz and Superintendent Manfred Sauer. The impressive candlelight procession on Tuesday will be followed by an ecumenical service in the city's main parish church of St. Jakob, which is under the tragic impression of this attack Kathpress reported.

The public's sympathy is overwhelming; hundreds have already lit candles in the main square. Against the backdrop of increased police presence, the city is also planning a security summit to ensure future security and restore citizens' trust. This could have far-reaching consequences for security policy in Carinthia.