VILLACH, Austria (Agencies): A knife attack in the southern Austrian city of Villach on Saturday left a 14-year-old teenager dead and at least four other people wounded. The suspect, identified as a 23-year-old Syrian national, was apprehended by police following the incident.
The attack occurred near the Drau Bridge in Villach, where the suspect randomly stabbed five people, including the teenager who succumbed to his injuries. A food delivery driver intervened by driving his vehicle at the attacker, preventing further harm.
Two of the injured individuals sustained serious wounds, while the others suffered minor injuries. Austrian national broadcaster ORF reported that authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a second perpetrator being involved.
The suspect reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the rampage, and unverified imagery circulating online shows him being confronted by an armed policewoman. The suspect appeared to be smiling and raising the index finger of his right hand, a gesture often used by Islamic radicals.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and the investigation is ongoing.