Victim's life in danger

Homeless man set on fire in Graz: Perpetrator on the run

A cruel arson attack on a homeless man took place in front of this store on Lendplatz in Graz on Saturday night.

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

An unbelievable act of violence took place in Graz on Saturday night: a previously unknown man is said to have poured a flammable liquid over a homeless man and set him on fire. The 52-year-old victim's life is in danger and a manhunt is underway for the perpetrator. The homeless man had been looked after by social workers a few hours before the crime.

Witnesses observed a man walking quickly away from the entrance to a store with a canister after midnight on Lendplatz in Graz. Shortly afterwards the shock: passers-by noticed that a man was on fire. It was a 52-year-old homeless man who had probably spent the night there. 

On Saturday morning, charred remains bore witness to the terrible deed.

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Victim's life is in danger
The Hungarian suffered severe burn injuries and was taken to Graz Regional Hospital by the ambulance service. According to the doctors, the man's life is in danger. 

An immediate search for the unknown man has so far been unsuccessful. Description of the perpetrator: Male, about 40 to 50 years old, about 1.70 meters tall, dressed in dark clothes.

Motive is a mystery
The background to the terrible arson attack is still completely unclear. The State Office of Criminal Investigation has taken over the investigation into attempted murder. The police are currently evaluating evidence and reviewing any usable footage from surveillance cameras.

Victim was still being cared for a few hours before the crime
Graz aid organizations and the mayor of Graz are also deeply saddened. 

"We are shocked and deeply saddened by this new dimension of violence against homeless people, which we condemn with open arms", says Caritas Styria Director Nora Tödtling-Musenbichler. 

According to Caritas, the homeless man had been regularly cared for and looked after recently. Even the evening before at around 10 p.m., a few hours before the crime, the man had been visited and cared for after calling the Caritas coldline. However, he had always refused accommodation in an emergency shelter.

"Shock, grief and anger"
"It fills me with shock, sadness and anger that a person who lives in extreme poverty is also the victim of such a brutal act of violence. This cruel act must be condemned in the strongest possible terms! We hope that the perpetrator will be found as quickly as possible and brought to justice," said Amrita Böker, coordinator of VinziWerke, commenting on the terrible act of violence in a press release.

The aid organizations also expressly emphasize that people who are concerned about their safety as a result of the night-time incident can contact VinziWerke and Caritas facilities at any time and make use of their protection. Caritas Styria is stepping up its cold weather bus trips in response to the incident and offering homeless people a place to stay in the emergency shelters.

"There are no words that can be found for such an inhumane and cruel act.

Elke Kahr, Bürgermeisterin Graz

Mayor Elke Kahr deeply shocked
On Saturday morning, the Mayor of Graz, Elke Kahr, also expressed her shock: "There are no words to describe such an inhumane and cruel act. This attack shows how vulnerable people are who have no roof over their heads and spend the night outdoors. I hope that the victim will recover and that the crime can be solved."

Cold phone

If you come across people outdoors that you are worried about or are concerned for your own safety, you can get help by calling the Caritas Styria cold phone number: 0676 88015 8111 (6pm - midnight).

Emergency shelter Arche 38: 0316/8015-730

As the perpetrator has not yet been caught, the mayor has asked the city's mobile street workers to ask all people who have decided not to make use of an emergency shelter not to spend the night outdoors at the moment. There are still enough beds available in all facilities.

Information on the identity of the stranger or witnesses should be sent to the journal service of the Provincial Criminal Police Office on 059133/60 3333.