From Susanna Capelouto in Atlanta
What we know so far
• Gunmen attack: Multiple assailants with automatic weapons opened fire in six locations in Vienna, Austria, on Monday evening, according to police. The country’s interior minister and chancellor have called it a terror attack.
• Casualties: At least three people have been killed and 15 injured. One suspect was also killed by police.
• Suspects: It’s not clear how many gunmen were involved in the attack and at least one attacker is still believed to be on the run.
Austria’s interior minister to give press conference shortly
Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer is set to give a press conference at 6 a.m. local time (12 a.m.ET).
Police in Vienna remain on high alert and are hunting at least one suspect after multiple gunmen with automatic weapons opened fire in the heart of the Austrian capital Monday evening
Australia’s Scott Morrison: “We pray for, and stand firm, with our Austrian friends”
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia “stands firm with out Austrian friends” following the shootings in Vienna.
“Deeply shocked by the awful terror attacks in Austria. The situation remains fluid and details of the attack are still not clear,” he said in a Tweet.
“We pray for, and stand firm with, our Austrian friends against acts of violence, terror and intimidation, and all they seek to undermine.”
Tense security situation in Vienna as manhunt underway
It is now 4 a.m. in the Austrian capital Vienna and a manhunt remains underway to find at least one assailant suspected to be involved in Monday’s shootings.
Gunfire erupted in the city center at around 8 p.m. local time on Monday, just before the start of a nationwide lockdown to combat a resurgence of Covid-19, according to police. Gunmen with automatic weapons began shooting at six locations, killing at least one person and injuring 15.
“It is of course a very tense security situation, especially in the federal capital Vienna,” Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said. Austrian officials have described the incident as a terror attack.
Vienna Police are using “all forces available” and said their investigations into the attack “will go on highest level.”
Chancellor Kurz said the armed forces have been deployed in Vienna to help secure the situation.
“As the federal government, we have decided that property protection in the federal capital Vienna will now also be taken over completely by the armed forces so that the police really have all the resources they need to search for the terrorists and to catch or eliminate them,” said Chancellor Kurz.
The public have been asked to stay at home or in a safe place and follow the news.
“Whether it is possible to take up public life as normal tomorrow morning, that will very much depend on tonight and whether it is possible to catch or eliminate the suspects,” Kurz said.
Joe Biden: “We must all stand united against hate and violence”
US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has offered his condolences following the shooting in Vienna.
“After tonight’s horrific terrorist attack in Vienna, Austria, Jill and I are keeping the victims and their families in our prayers. We must all stand united against hate and violence,” he said in the Tweet.
Vienna Police investigations into shooting go to “highest level”
Vienna Police said they are using “all forces available” to keep the public safe after gunmen opened fire in the center of the city on Monday evening.
Austrian authorities are still searching for at least one attacker they believe to be on the run following the shootings.
“Our investigations regarding the assault will go on highest level,” the police said.
Gunmen with automatic weapons opened fire at six locations in central Vienna Monday night, killing at least one person and injuring 15 others. One gunman has been shot dead by police, while at least one assailant remains on the run.
What we know about the shooting in Vienna
More details are emerging about the Vienna attack. Here’s a summary of what we know so far:
The incident
Gunmen with automatic weapons opened fire at six locations in central Vienna on Monday evening, killing at least one person and injuring 15.
Austrian officials have described the incident as a terror attack.
The suspects
One gunman has been shot dead by police, while at least one assailant remains on the run. Authorities are urging the public to stay inside while a manhunt is underway.
The attackers were “very well equipped” with automatic weapons and “professionally prepared,” according to Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
However, authorities have so far discouraged speculation as to the attackers’ potential motive.
The timing
Gunfire erupted at around 8 p.m. local time, hours before the start of a nationwide lockdown to combat a resurgence of Covid-19.
The city’s bars and restaurants were packed, with people sitting outside due to the warm weather, enjoying their last few hours of freedom.
The location
The shooting occurred near Vienna’s main synagogue, the Seitenstettengasse Temple, in a busy area packed with cafes and restaurants.
Kurz said that “an anti-Semitic motive cannot be excluded” due to the attack’s proximity to the synagogue.
Oskar Deutsch, the head of Vienna’s Jewish community, said in a tweet that it was unclear whether the synagogue was a target, but that it was closed at the time of the shooting. He said all Jewish institutions, including schools and kosher restaurants, will be closed Tuesday as a precaution.
The reaction
In a press conference in the early hours of Tuesday, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said it was “the hardest day for Austria for many years.”
He added that “Those who attack one of us, attacks all of us.”
Across Europe, leaders have strongly condemned the shooting, which follows two terror attacks in France in recent weeks.
“After France, it is a friendly country that is under attack,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on Twitter.
Other leaders have shared statements expressing their shock and sorrow, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez
Austria has some of the most permissive gun laws in Europe
From CNN’s James Griffiths
The sight of men with what appear to be semi-automatic rifles in a European capital may raise immediate questions for many observers over how they could acquire such weapons in a continent known for relatively tight gun laws.
Austria has some of the most permissive gun laws in Europe, according to monitoring group GunPolicy.org. Private gun ownership is permitted for various reasons, including self defense. People can own handguns, repeating shotguns and certain types of semi-automatic weapons with a license. Applicants must pass a background check before they can acquire a weapon.
According to the Small Arms Survey, a Geneva-based research group, Austria is the 12th most armed country in the world, with around 30 guns per 100 people, similar to Lebanon, Bosnia and Iceland. By comparison, the United States has 120 guns per 100, and the most-armed European country, Macedonia, has 39.1.
Jewish institutions in Vienna to close Tuesday “as a precaution”
From CNN’s Stephanie Halasz in London
All synagogues, Jewish schools and the institutions of the Jewish Community of Vienna, as well as kosher restaurants and supermarkets, in the Austrian capital will close Tuesday as a precaution, Oskar Deutsch, President of the Jewish Religious Community in Austria said on Twitter.
Shots were fired on Monday evening near Vienna’s main synagogue, the Seitenstettengasse Temple, in a busy area packed with cafes and restaurants.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said “an anti-Semitic motive cannot be excluded because of the location where it happened.”
The synagogue was closed at the time of the attack as the evening prayer had ended, Deutsch said in the statement, adding that “whether the city temple was also the target of the attack, can currently neither be confirmed nor ruled out.”
“The IKG (Jewish Community of Vienna) is in close contact with the police. On the basis of the current risk assessment, we are all called upon to continue to stay at home or in a place we can lock,” he said.
UN Secretary-General extends condolences to the family of Vienna attack victim
Multiple shootings in Vienna ‘terror attack’
By Nectar Gan, Jenni Marsh and Helen Regan, CNN
What we know so far
• Terror attack in Vienna: At least one gunman with automatic weapons opened fire in a busy area of Vienna, Austria, on Monday evening, according to police. The country’s interior minister and chancellor have called it a terror attack.
• Casualties: At least three people have been killed and 15 injured, including a police officer. One suspect was also killed by police.
• Suspects: It’s not clear how many gunmen were involved in the attack. Initially police said multiple gunmen opened fire at six locations in the city center and one attacker is still believed to be on the run. Authorities now say “it can’t be excluded that there were more attackers.”
• Gunman: The man shot dead by police was wearing a fake explosive vest, was heavily armed, and police said had been “radicalized.” SWAT teams used explosives to enter and search his apartment.
Death toll rises to three in Vienna shootings
From Susanna Capelouto in Atlanta
Austria’s Interior minister Karl Nehammer speaks during a press conference on November 2, in Vienna.
At least three people have died and 15 injured in a terror attack in Vienna, Austria’s Interior Minister Karl Nehammer announced in a press conference early on Tuesday.
Earlier, police had said at least person had been killed.
In addition to the three civilians, one of the gunmen was shot dead by police.
Austria’s interior minister to give press conference shortly
Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer is set to give a press conference at 6 a.m. local time (12 a.m.ET).
Police in Vienna remain on high alert and are hunting at least one suspect after multiple gunmen with automatic weapons opened fire in the heart of the Austrian capital Monday evening.
Read more for a full report on the shootings:
RELATED
Police launch major operation in Vienna after shots fired
Australia’s Scott Morrison: “We pray for, and stand firm, with our Austrian friends”
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia “stands firm with out Austrian friends” following the shootings in Vienna.
“Deeply shocked by the awful terror attacks in Austria. The situation remains fluid and details of the attack are still not clear,” he said in a Tweet.
“We pray for, and stand firm with, our Austrian friends against acts of violence, terror and intimidation, and all they seek to undermine.”
Tense security situation in Vienna as manhunt underway
It is now 4 a.m. in the Austrian capital Vienna and a manhunt remains underway to find at least one assailant suspected to be involved in Monday’s shootings.
Gunfire erupted in the city center at around 8 p.m. local time on Monday, just before the start of a nationwide lockdown to combat a resurgence of Covid-19, according to police. Gunmen with automatic weapons began shooting at six locations, killing at least one person and injuring 15.
“It is of course a very tense security situation, especially in the federal capital Vienna,” Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said. Austrian officials have described the incident as a terror attack.
Vienna Police are using “all forces available” and said their investigations into the attack “will go on highest level.”
Chancellor Kurz said the armed forces have been deployed in Vienna to help secure the situation.
“As the federal government, we have decided that property protection in the federal capital Vienna will now also be taken over completely by the armed forces so that the police really have all the resources they need to search for the terrorists and to catch or eliminate them,” said Chancellor Kurz.
The public have been asked to stay at home or in a safe place and follow the news.
“Whether it is possible to take up public life as normal tomorrow morning, that will very much depend on tonight and whether it is possible to catch or eliminate the suspects,” Kurz said.
Vienna Police investigations into shooting go to “highest level”
Vienna Police said they are using “all forces available” to keep the public safe after gunmen opened fire in the center of the city on Monday evening.
Austrian authorities are still searching for at least one attacker they believe to be on the run following the shootings.
“Our investigations regarding the assault will go on highest level,” the police said.
Gunmen with automatic weapons opened fire at six locations in central Vienna Monday night, killing at least one person and injuring 15 others. One gunman has been shot dead by police, while at least one assailant remains on the run.
What we know about the shooting in Vienna
Armed policemen stand guard in a shopping street in the center of Vienna on November 2. Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images
More details are emerging about the Vienna attack. Here’s a summary of what we know so far:
The incident
Gunmen with automatic weapons opened fire at six locations in central Vienna on Monday evening, killing at least one person and injuring 15.
Austrian officials have described the incident as a terror attack.
The suspects
One gunman has been shot dead by police, while at least one assailant remains on the run. Authorities are urging the public to stay inside while a manhunt is underway.
The attackers were “very well equipped” with automatic weapons and “professionally prepared,” according to Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
However, authorities have so far discouraged speculation as to the attackers’ potential motive.
The timing
Gunfire erupted at around 8 p.m. local time, hours before the start of a nationwide lockdown to combat a resurgence of Covid-19.
The city’s bars and restaurants were packed, with people sitting outside due to the warm weather, enjoying their last few hours of freedom.
The location
The shooting occurred near Vienna’s main synagogue, the Seitenstettengasse Temple, in a busy area packed with cafes and restaurants.
Kurz said that “an anti-Semitic motive cannot be excluded” due to the attack’s proximity to the synagogue.
Oskar Deutsch, the head of Vienna’s Jewish community, said in a tweet that it was unclear whether the synagogue was a target, but that it was closed at the time of the shooting. He said all Jewish institutions, including schools and kosher restaurants, will be closed Tuesday as a precaution.
The reaction
In a press conference in the early hours of Tuesday, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said it was “the hardest day for Austria for many years.”
He added that “Those who attack one of us, attacks all of us.”
Across Europe, leaders have strongly condemned the shooting, which follows two terror attacks in France in recent weeks.
“After France, it is a friendly country that is under attack,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on Twitter.
Other leaders have shared statements expressing their shock and sorrow, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
Austria has some of the most permissive gun laws in Europe
From CNN’s James Griffiths
The sight of men with what appear to be semi-automatic rifles in a European capital may raise immediate questions for many observers over how they could acquire such weapons in a continent known for relatively tight gun laws.
Austria has some of the most permissive gun laws in Europe, according to monitoring group GunPolicy.org. Private gun ownership is permitted for various reasons, including self defense. People can own handguns, repeating shotguns and certain types of semi-automatic weapons with a license. Applicants must pass a background check before they can acquire a weapon.
According to the Small Arms Survey, a Geneva-based research group, Austria is the 12th most armed country in the world, with around 30 guns per 100 people, similar to Lebanon, Bosnia and Iceland. By comparison, the United States has 120 guns per 100, and the most-armed European country, Macedonia, has 39.1.
Jewish institutions in Vienna to close Tuesday “as a precaution”
From CNN’s Stephanie Halasz in London
All synagogues, Jewish schools and the institutions of the Jewish Community of Vienna, as well as kosher restaurants and supermarkets, in the Austrian capital will close Tuesday as a precaution, Oskar Deutsch, President of the Jewish Religious Community in Austria said on Twitter.
Shots were fired on Monday evening near Vienna’s main synagogue, the Seitenstettengasse Temple, in a busy area packed with cafes and restaurants.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said “an anti-Semitic motive cannot be excluded because of the location where it happened.”
The synagogue was closed at the time of the attack as the evening prayer had ended, Deutsch said in the statement, adding that “whether the city temple was also the target of the attack, can currently neither be confirmed nor ruled out.”
“The IKG (Jewish Community of Vienna) is in close contact with the police. On the basis of the current risk assessment, we are all called upon to continue to stay at home or in a place we can lock,” he said.
UN Secretary-General extends condolences to the family of Vienna attack victim
From CNN’s Richard Roth
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres speaks during a press briefing at United Nations Headquarters on February 4, in New York City.
The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres extended his condolences to those impacted in the Vienna attack, according to Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General.
“The Secretary-General is following with utmost concern the still evolving situation in Vienna’s city centre where violent attacks in several places have been reported today, with at least one bystander killed and several others wounded, including members of the security forces,” read the statement from the spokesman.
The Secretary-General strongly condemns these attacks and reaffirms the solidarity of the United Nations with the people and the Government of Austria, he said.
Source: CNN
