Video shows incident

Knife attack on police officer in weapons ban zone

(Bild: Reinhard Holl, Wiener Linien/Johannes Zinner, krone.at-Grafik)

Dramatic scenes during a check in the weapons ban zone in the Vienna-Favoriten hotspot on Friday evening. A police officer was attacked with a knife. The stab protection vest saved his life.

Stabbings in the crime hotspot Favoriten have been making headlines for weeks. On Friday, the Vienna public prosecutor's office brought charges of attempted double murder against a Chechen man (22) and his 45-year-old father. The duo were involved in a bloody fight with two Syrians, who were seriously injured.

Weapons ban zone since March 30
Following several incidents, a large-scale weapons ban zone has been in force in the Reumannplatz/Keplerplatz area since the end of March. Since then, "Action sharp" has been in force and the "Krone" has already accompanied several priority actions.

(Bild: Willfried Gredler-Oxenbauer / picturedesk.com)

Dramatic scenes on Friday evening
On Friday evening at around 7.30 p.m., there were dramatic scenes during another check by the riot unit. An apparently intoxicated migrant suddenly threw glass bottles at the officers during the operation.

A video of the incident:

Attacker only overpowered with Taser 
Then the situation escalated completely: the 41-year-old suspect Mohammed Ismail R., who is also wanted by the German judiciary, is said to have suddenly pulled out a knife and attacked one of the uniformed officers! Only the stab protection vest saved the inspector's life in the knife attack; he only suffered minor abrasions.

The raging knife attacker could only be overpowered and arrested with a Taser stun gun. The investigation into the attack was still in full swing that night.