Forgotten gun in the car

Tyrol’s SP leader Dornauer wants an end to the gun ban

Tyrol's SP regional party leader Georg Dornauer

(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Tyrol's Deputy Governor Georg Dornauer (SPÖ) can hope for an end to the weapons ban against him. This was imposed on him in 2019 because he left his hunting rifle with the magazine inserted in his car with the window open at Innsbruck airport when he flew to Burgenland's SPÖ state leader Hans-Peter Doskozil.

Security staff discovered the politician's weapon. The district authority issued an indefinite weapons ban, which was subsequently confirmed by the provincial administrative court. This also resulted in the loss of his Tyrolean hunting license and the confiscation of his weapon.

Resuming his hobby, but no longer as a hunting guide
Dornauer now hoped that the weapons ban would soon be history. According to media reports, he now wants to apply for the decision to be lifted after a five-year period has expired since his "infinite misfortune, which I very much regret". He also expressed optimism that he would soon be able to pursue his "modest hobby again". However, he does not want to return as a hunting guide in Sellrain: "I don't want to push myself to the top." He also has too little time to go stalking anyway.

Judge found gross negligence five years ago
The Tyrolean SPÖ regional party leader apologized at the time and assured that "such storage of the weapon on my part was neither intentional nor in line with my many years of hunting practice". He had put the hunting rifle on the back seat of his car the day before because he wanted to drive to the hunting ground. Because it started to rain, he went to the office instead of hunting.

In the evening, he then took part in the Hubertus celebration in his home community of Sellrain. The judge found gross negligence and confirmed the weapons ban.