Brutal attack in Vienna: man with knife threatens tobacconist employee!

Brutal attack in Vienna: man with knife threatens tobacconist employee!

On Wednesday, October 29, 2025, there was a brutal attack on a tobacconist at the U6 station Alser Straße in Vienna. At 3:50 p.m., a masked man threatened the employee with a knife and demanded cash. However, the employee showed nerves and did not respond to the perpetrator's demands. The man then fled towards the city center without any loot after the search that was immediately launched was unsuccessful.

The perpetrator is described as male, wearing a dark jacket and jeans with holes in them, and was bald. The police are asking for information from the public. Anyone who can help identify the perpetrator should contact the Vienna State Criminal Police Office, Central branch, on 01/313 104 38 00.

Another victim on the subway

Vienna is not spared from the problem of juvenile crime. On March 16, 2025, a 13-year-old boy was the victim of an attack at the Enkplatz subway station. The boy was chased by three unknown assailants after they observed him on the subway. They insulted him and demanded his Airpods under threats of violence. The boy eventually gave the perpetrators the headphones and watched them escape. Here too, the police are looking for relevant information to the State Criminal Police Office, South Branch, on the numbers 01-31310-57212 or 01-31310-57800.

Increasing youth crime in Vienna

The incidents highlight the increasing youth crime in the city. According to current figures, the number of reports against 10 to 14 year olds rose from 6,311 in 2014 to 9,730 in 2023. In order to get the increasing problems under control, an interministerial working group to combat youth crime was set up on March 7, 2024. Under the leadership of Dieter Csefan, the federal coordinator of the youth crime task force, a particular focus is placed on underage intensive offenders, some of whom have committed up to 200 crimes.

The problem is particularly dramatic in Vienna: around 500 students are suspended every year for violent behavior. This number is increasing, and many affected youth are not returning to school after their suspensions. Youth gangs often fight for dominance in parks, which further fuels the spiral of violence. Social media and chat groups play a role that should not be underestimated.

In order to defuse the situation, several projects have already been launched. This includes a project for close support of young perpetrators in Vienna and the increased police presence through the youth crime task force since March 2024. The draft to amend the Security Police Act, which, for example, introduces a weapons ban zone in certain districts of Vienna, is also intended to have a preventive effect in order to prevent dangerous attacks by minors.

Vienna is therefore facing challenges that not only affect the police, but also society as a whole. It is time to work together to find ways to avoid such incidents in the future.

For further information on the incidents and youth crime in Vienna, you can refer to the articles by meinkreis.at, vienna.at and bmi.gv.at be referred.