Accusation: attempted murder

Honor trafficking and a bloody fight over music

Traces of blood on a bench bear witness to the violent confrontation between two rival gangs of Syrians in Lehener Park.

(Bild: Markus Tschepp)

Two knife attacks, two suspected attempted murders: three Syrians (18, 20) and a Ukrainian (47) will have to appear before the jury in Salzburg Provincial Court in the new year. The first case is about a brutal gang brawl in which knives were used. The second is about Russian music that caused a fight.

The "Krone" reported on both criminal cases. And in both cases, the Salzburg public prosecutor's office is now bringing charges of attempted murder.

Case 1: the Lehener Park.
 The case was already discussed in the regional court in mid-August 2024. At that time, the judge had already found six Syrians guilty and handed down suspended sentences. However, she declared herself not responsible for three young Syrians (18, 18 and 20) as she identified a possible attempted murder. The case must therefore now be retried by a jury: The three defendants face up to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment if convicted as charged. Background: On the night of 1 February, the trio was part of a gang that met up with a rival group of compatriots to trade for honor in Lehener Park in the Salzburg district of Lehen.

Major Salzburg police operation on the night of February 1, 2024.

(Bild: Markus Tschepp)

Instead of talking, the Syrians beat each other up - including with wooden slats. And the three defendants took a knife with them to talk: According to the indictment, they stabbed one opponent three times in the back and once in the thigh. A second victim suffered two stabs in the left thigh - the trio are accused of intentionally causing grievous bodily harm. The trial will begin on January 30.

Case 2: the music dispute. 
A Ukrainian (47) with a pro-Russian attitude, who only came to Austria in May 2024 and shared refugee accommodation in Austria with two other Ukrainians, is facing charges of attempted murder. According to the indictment, the Ukraine-Russia conflict played a role in the crime: the 47-year-old had repeatedly played Russian national music loudly on his cell phone. This was also the case on September 23, when an argument broke out with the two compatriots in the shared kitchen: In the course of this, the 47-year-old reached into the cutlery drawer, grabbed two knives and, according to the allegations, stabbed an adversary (25) twice. The victim was able to flee into the bathroom - the attacker is said to have run after him and stabbed him several times against the door. AL