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By James Bickerton and Rachel Dobkin
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Austrian authorities have said they believe a 23-year-old Syrian man who went on a stabbing rampage in the southern Austrian city of Villach on Saturday was motivated by "Islamic terrorism." A 14-year-old boy was killed in the attack, while five other people were injured according to the police.
Newsweek reached out to local police via email for comment on Saturday afternoon.
The Context
The Villach attack took place just one day after Vice-President JD Vance said that the "threat from within" Europe, which he said included mass migration and attacks on free speech, posed a bigger threat to the continent than free speech.
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The day before, a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker allegedly drove into a crowd in the city on purpose, resulting in two deaths and dozens of injuries. Munich public prosecutor Gabriele Tilmann later said the attacker had shouted, "Allah Akbar," which means God is great in Arabic, and "may have had an Islamist motivation."
What To Know
A 23-year-old Syrian national living in Austria legally was detained after he stabbed five passersby in the city of Villach, police said. Two of the survivors were seriously injured and the other two had minor injuries, according to authorities. All the victims, including the teen who was killed, were male.
On Sunday, Austrian authorities said they believed the attack was motivated by "Islamic terrorism," with Interior Minister Gerhard Karner saying the alleged assailant had links to the Islamic State group and had radicalized himself online.
Karner said he felt "anger about an Islamist attacker who indiscriminately stabbed innocent people here in this city."
State Governor Peter Kaiser also expressed gratitude towards a 42-year-old Syrian man, working for a food delivery firm, who he said drove his vehicle toward the attacker. He said: "This shows how closely terrorist evil, but also human good, can be united in one and the same nationality."
The number of victims was initially five, but Paul Eidenberger, spokesperson for Austria's Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Police, told Newsweek via email on Saturday night that another victim, a 36-year-old man, came forward. Eidenberger said that the man was "not seriously injured."
Police spokesperson Rainer Dionisio told Austrian public broadcaster ORF that a man who witnessed the stabbings drove toward the attacker and helped prevent the situation from worsening. Police say the witness is 42 years old and works for a food delivery company.
Recent Stabbings in Europe
Stabbing deaths are more common in Europe than in North America.
According to the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime's 2019 Global Study on Homicide, firearm deaths accounted for over 70 percent of all homicides while knife-related deaths accounted for less than 20 percent in North America in 2017.
In Europe, firearm deaths accounted for about 20 percent of all homicides while knife-related deaths accounted for about 40 percent in 2017, according to the report.
Last month, a 41-year-old man and a 2-year-old boy were fatally stabbed in the city of Aschaffenburg in southeast Germany, Reuters reported, citing police and local officials. Two children, a teacher and a 61-year-old man were also injured.
The suspected attacker was a 28-year-old man from Afghanistan. Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann for the German state of Bavaria said the attacker deliberately went after a kindergarten group in a park with a kitchen knife.
In July 2024, three girls—Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, 6—were fatally stabbed during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class at a small dance and yoga studio in the northern England town of Southport. Eight more children and two adults were also injured in the attack.
The suspected attacker Axel Rudakubana, who was 17 years old during the stabbings, was charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and additional charges related to possessing the poison ricin and for having an Al Qaeda manual.
Riots, fueled by far-right activists, across England and Northern Ireland erupted after Rudakubana, then unnamed, was falsely identified as an asylum seeker who had recently arrived in Britain. Rudakubana was born in Wales to Rwandan immigrants.
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What People Are Saying
In a post on X Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen said: "No words can undo the suffering, the horror, the fear. My thoughts are with the family of the deceased victim and the injured."
On Facebook, the Free Syrian Community of Austria issued a statement, commenting: "We all had to flee Syria, our home country, because we were no longer safe there—no one left their country voluntarily. We are grateful to have found asylum and protection in Austria.
"Finally, we would like to emphasize: Anyone who causes strife and disturbs the peace of society does not represent the Syrians who have sought and received protection here."
Peter Kaiser, the governor of the Austrian province of Carinthia, said on Saturday: "This outrageous atrocity must be met with harsh consequences. I have always said with clarity and unambiguously: Those who live in Carinthia, in Austria, have to respect the law and adjust to our rules and values."
Police spokesperson Rainer Dionisio said on Saturday that a motive has yet to be determined and that authorities are investigating the Syrian national's personal background.
"We have to wait until we get secure information," Dionisio said.
Paul Eidenberger, spokesperson for Austria's Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Police, told Newsweek via email on Saturday night: "Interrogations are being done during the night (...) by specialized criminal investigations units including federal agencies. We hope to have a clearer picture concerning a possible motive tomorrow. A key factor are [sic] of course the testimonies of victims and witnesses, which are also being done asap [as soon as possible]."
Erwin Angerer, an Austrian lawmaker and member of the far-right Freedom Party, said on Saturday that his party had been warning about the situation in their country due to its "disastrous asylum policy."
What Happens Next
Karner was expected to visit Villach on Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, police are unsure if the attacker acted on his own and are searching for other potential suspects.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
Update: 2/15/25, 6:03 p.m. ET: The headline and article have been updated to reflect that the new number of victims is six and updated with comment from Eidenberger.
Update 2/16/25 6:40 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information.
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