36-year-old suspect

Children threatened with a knife and then set fire

The 36-year-old was arrested (symbolic image).

(Bild: P. Huber)

Dramatic incident on Thursday evening in St. Georgen an der Stiefing: a 36-year-old is said to have threatened two children with a knife and then set fire to a house. The boy and the girl, who were home alone, were able to flee to an acquaintance with minor injuries. 

The 36-year-old Hungarian has been living in a room in a house with a Hungarian family for several weeks. For reasons that are not yet clear, the man may have threatened two of the family's children (the girl is nine, the boy eleven years old) with a knife at around 6 p.m. on Thursday. The children, who were home alone, were able to flee to a friend's house with minor injuries.

First threatened, then set fire to
According to the police, the suspect then set fire to one of his host family's children's rooms - and tried to flee to Graz by public transport. He was arrested by police at Wildon station. The probable murder knife was seized from the suspect.

A neighbor had noticed the fire and called the fire department. Despite rapid extinguishing work, considerable damage to property (the exact amount of damage is still under investigation) could not be prevented. Officials from the Styrian State Office of Criminal Investigation began the investigation. In cooperation with an expert, the cause of the fire was clearly determined to be subjective arson.

Suspect taken to Jakomini prison
The 36-year-old suspect confessed to setting the fire. The suspect did not comment on the motive. He only stated that he had been heavily intoxicated. The man was taken to Jakomini prison by order of the Graz public prosecutor's office. Further investigations will follow.