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Teenager, 14, killed after Syrian knifeman goes on rampage and stabs five people in Austria

Matt Goodwin brands London stabbing as 'utterly sickening' - 'It feels like …
GB News
George Bunn

By George Bunn


Published: 15/02/2025

- 19:02

Updated: 16/02/2025

- 11:43

Officers in Villach say they are yet to rule out a second perpetrator

A teenager has died after being stabbed during a knife rampage that saw several people attacked in southern Austria.

A 23-year-old male suspect reportedly attacked several people on a street in Villach, Austria this afternoon.


Detectives in the city said one person died and four people were injured during the horror attack.

A spokesman said the arrested suspect is a Syrian national, and did not rule out a second perpetrator.

\u200bPolice are seen after a knife attack near the main square in the city centre of Villach, southern AustriaPolice are seen after a knife attack near the main square in the city centre of Villach, southern AustriaGetty
\u200bOfficers of the Austrian State Criminal Police are seen near a cordoned off area after a knife attack near the main square in the city centre of Villach

Officers of the Austrian State Criminal Police are seen near a cordoned off area after a knife attack near the main square in the city centre of Villach

Getty

\u200bThe incident took place in Villach, Austria this afternoon.

The incident took place in Villach, Austria this afternoon

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Governor Peter Kaiser has asked for the "harshest consequence" following the attack.

He said: "This unbelievable atrocity must have the harshest consequences! I have always said very clearly and unequivocally: anyone who lives in Carinthia, in Austria, must respect the law and must adapt to our rules and values.

"Anyone who violates these rules must face the harshest consequences - they must be put on trial, imprisoned and deported!"

Rainer Dionisio, head of public relations at the Carinthian State Police said: "This is an extraordinary act. Something like this is unprecedented in Carinthia The background to the act is still unknown, and the entire environment is now being investigated."

\u200bOfficers of the Austrian State Criminal Police are seen near a police cordon

Officers of the Austrian State Criminal Police are seen near a police cordon

Getty

The attack happened at about 3pm local time (4pm GMT) near the main square in the city, located near the Italian and Slovenian borders.

Officers said a food delivery rider saw the attack and rammed his vehicle into the attacker, who was injured and was arrested "right after the attack."

Dionisio told reports the man under arrest is a Syrian asylum seeker with a valid residence permit and without a criminal record according to preliminary information,

Further details, such as whether the attacker knew any of the victims, remained unclear, a spokesperson for the police said. The injured were aged between 14 and 32, he added.

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Head of Freedom Party (FPOe) Herbert Kickl poses with people

The eurosceptic Freedom Party finished first in the election

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Today's attack comes after talks collapsed between the eurosceptic hard-right Freedom Party and the conservative People's Party to form a government, four months after the election where the Freedom Party came first with around 29 per cent.

Leader for the region Erwin Angerer said: "We, the Freedom Party, have been warning for years about these conditions, which have arisen as a result of the fatal asylum policy of the unity party led by the ÖVP, and are the only party to demand an immediate halt to asylum and consistent deportations of foreign criminals.

"The ÖVP has just decided to continue as before on asylum and security issues and against the security of its own population, which proves that it is the only security risk in the Ministry of the Interior."