After knife attacks

Residents: “We’re scared in Lehener Park in the evening”

Residents like Manfred Munz feel safe in Lehener Park - at least during the day.

(Bild: Nikolaus Klinger)

Two knife attacks, one dead! The people of Lehen want more police on site. Now the Salzburg police are reacting.

Afraid? Manfred Munz isn't - at least not as long as it's light. "I don't go to Lehen Park in the evening, I prefer to stay on the illuminated main street," says the long-time resident of the Lehen district. When asked about the bloody knife attacks of the past few days, he says: "Night patrols by the police would be important. That could defuse the situation."

Desire for more controls
The Lehen veteran is not alone in his desire for more patrols - as a Krone inspection of the area clearly shows. "When it gets dark, I have a bad feeling and avoid the area," says Eveline Breid, for example.

Eveline Breid prefers to go to Lehener Park during the day.

(Bild: Nikolaus Klinger)

Two bloody knife attacks
As a reminder: last week, two bloody knife attacks occurred within a few moments of each other. First, a group of almost 15 Syrians attacked each other in Lehener Park. One person suffered life-threatening injuries and two others suffered cuts. Shortly afterwards, a Somali man (27) stabbed a fellow countryman in the neighboring Schießstattstraße. The victim (34) did not survive the attack.

Salzburg's mayor Harald Preuner (ÖVP) hosted a crisis summit with police and social workers on Monday. The result of the 40-minute meeting: The executive, along with staff from the city's public order office, will step up checks in Lehen in future.

For the police, Lehen is not a hotbed of violence
Salzburg's regional police director Bernhard Rausch promises: "We are also out and about in civilian clothes and undercover." At the same time, he notes that the area around Lehener Park is not a hotbed of violence, despite the recent bloodshed. In the past five years, there have been 20 assaults and 17 drug-related incidents here. "Nevertheless, we take the concerns of local residents seriously," says Rausch.

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

The investigations into the two bloody crimes are still ongoing. The knifeman from Somalia is now in custody. He is believed to have argued with his compatriot in an apartment in Lehen. The incident moved to the street - and escalated.

Syrians argued at the train station, then it went into the park
The facts surrounding the second act of violence are less clear. According to investigators, two Syrians got into an argument in the station area. They looked for reinforcements. Together they went partly on foot, partly by cab and car in the direction of Lehen. One Syrian is believed to have attacked three men with a knife.