Escalation in Vienna

Gang conflict: man in custody for attempted murder

Vienna-Josefstadt prison

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

A man (29) was remanded in custody in Vienna on Tuesday for allegedly participating in an attempted murder. This is connected to the current gang conflict. The project manager is accused of taking several Chechens to Anton-Kummerer-Park (20th district) in a car.

Chechens and Syrians attacked each other there on Friday evening with wooden slats, pepper sprays, knives and firearms. Three people were injured and had to be taken to hospital. The first suspect was arrested in Vienna-Donaustadt on Saturday. The 29-year-old has not yet given any details. During a house search, a blank-firing pistol and electronic data carriers were seized. 

The pre-trial detention was announced on Tuesday; the reasons given were the risk of committing the crime and the risk of a cover-up. The pre-trial detention is initially limited until July 23. Other suspects are still on the run.

Attack by masked men
The police assume that there could be a connection between the night-time stabbing in Meidling on Sunday evening and the mass brawl in Brigittenau on Friday evening. In Meidling, four people between the ages of 15 and 22 had to be taken to hospital with serious injuries, one of them in a critical condition. When questioned, they stated that they had been attacked by masked men with hammers, glass bottles, knives and firearms.

"Sense of honor plays an important role"
"Those involved over the last few days are ethnic groups in which the sense of honor plays a very important role," the police said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon. The "control of public space" was a recurring motive. "In particular, Syrian and Chechen groups rival each other in this context. There have been several situations in the last year where attempted exchanges between these ethnic groups have escalated to a lesser extent than in recent days," it said.

In particular, Syrian and Chechen groups are rivals in this context.

Wiener Polizei zu Bandenkonflikten

Connection to the incident in Favoriten
The officers also linked an incident in Arthaberpark in Favoriten to the incidents last weekend. A Chechen man (30) was stabbed and critically injured there on June 3. He has since been discharged from hospital and is not believed to have been involved in the latest escalations. These suspects have not yet been caught either.

The police are now to be reinforced in public places.

(Bild: Andi Schiel)

"Information from social media and messenger services will be comprehensively incorporated into the ongoing assessment of the situation and the criminal investigation", the provincial police directorate said on Tuesday. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) had announced on Monday that police presence in public places such as parks would be increased.