Gunshots rang out in a busy shopping district at around 8 p.m. near Vienna’s main Synagogue.
Several shooters opened fire in multiple locations in Vienna on Monday evening in what Austrian police have confirmed is a terrorist attack.
The attacks occurred on the last night before the start of another month-long lockdown due to a spike in COVID-19 in the region.
There were six locations where the attacks took place around the mail Jewish temple in Vienna, Seitenstettengasse Temple, which was confirmed to be closed at the time.
The other five locations that Austrian law enforcement identified were Salzgries, Fleischmarkt, Bauernmarkt, Graben, Morzinplatz, and Seitenstettengasse street near the Temple.
The mayor of Vienna, Michael Ludwig, said that shots seemed to have been fired at random as people were enjoying the warm weather and dining outdoors before the lockdown is imposed.
At least four people were “killed in cold blood” and a further 22 were injured, including a police officer who is now in a stable condition after surgery, in a terror attack that took place in six locations across Vienna on Monday night.
Austria’s Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, said on Tuesday that the victims included “an elderly man, an elderly woman, a young passer-by and a waitress.” In addition to the four civilians, a gunman was shot dead by police.
Authorities have identified the attacker as Fejzulai Kujtim, a 20-year-old Austrian man from the town of St. Poelten, 33 miles west of Vienna.
Kujtim was a supporter of Islamic State, who was sentenced to 22 months in prison on April 25, 2019 for attempting to travel to Syria to join ISIS, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer told state news agency APA. On December 5, he was released early on parole, it reports.
Police in Vienna have arrested 14 people and searched 18 properties in relation to the attack.
Source: CNN
A video is spreading on social media which is alleged to be of one of the shooters in action, though it has not been confirmed.
https://twitter.com/TomKurz1/status/1323364055575371777?s=20
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, a Canadian-based Jewish advocacy agency tweeted out a video of police responding to the shooting.
We are closely monitoring reports of an active shooter in Vienna which appears to be taking place near a synagogue. #ViennaShooting pic.twitter.com/EnYNyjR950
— CIJA (@CIJAinfo) November 2, 2020
Police have advised the public to remain indoors as the investigation continues.
The most recent reports are now casting doubt that the attacker, Kujtim, was part of a larger group.
As the situation is ongoing, this report will be updated when more information is available.
