Stabbings Occur in Gun-Free Zone in Vienna's Favoriten District

In a troubling incident within a designated gun-free zone in Vienna's Favoriten district, two men sustained knife injuries on Wednesday. The first stabbing occurred around 2:30 PM at Keplerplatz, where a confrontation between acquaintances led to one individual being injured. Following this altercation, law enforcement made an arrest.

The second incident took place later that evening at approximately 6:30 PM in Senefeldergasse, where two young men were attacked by a group. A 26-year-old victim suffered stab wounds from a knife, while a 19-year-old was injured when he was forcefully pushed against a glass storefront, resulting in cuts from the broken glass. The assailants managed to escape the scene.

Authorities responded to the first altercation at Keplerplatz after receiving reports of a dispute involving a knife. Upon arrival, officers found a 38-year-old man with a stab wound to his thigh. He stated that a friend had inflicted the injury using a utility knife. Emergency medical personnel provided immediate treatment before transporting him to a local hospital. The suspect, a 19-year-old Syrian national, remained nearby and was identified by witnesses. He was subsequently detained by police and faces charges of aggravated assault, with the prosecution ordering his transfer to a correctional facility.

Later in the evening, at Senefeldergasse, witnesses reported that a 19-year-old and a 26-year-old were attacked and injured by a group of young men. One of the assailants inflicted stab wounds on the 26-year-old's hand and arm. Meanwhile, the 19-year-old was violently shoved into a store's front window, resulting in lacerations to his hand from the shattered glass. Both victims received emergency medical assistance and were taken to a hospital for treatment. A search for the fleeing suspects has so far yielded no results, and investigations are ongoing. The motives behind these violent encounters remain unclear, according to police spokesperson Anna Gutt.