Bloody tragedy in Vienna: Two dead and seriously injured after shots!

Bloody tragedy in Vienna: Two dead and seriously injured after shots!

A tragic incident shakes Leopoldstadt in Vienna. On September 17, 2025, there was a bloody altercation in an apartment building that cost at least two people their lives. Two other people were taken to hospitals with injuries, some of which were life-threatening. Police were alerted after witnesses heard a heated argument in an apartment. When they arrived, the emergency services found a 44-year-old lifeless, while the suspected perpetrator, also 44 years old, was involved in a shootout in front of the building. He was later found dead in his car. The situation apparently escalated so quickly that a 24-year-old and a 26-year-old were seriously injured; It was recently reported that the 24-year-old's condition was critical.

But this is not the only violent incident in the area. There was already an operation by the Vienna Task Force Alarm Department (WEGA) on July 22, 2025, when several shots from a blank gun were heard. Witnesses had reported a male person with a realistic-looking weapon on a balcony. Here too, the investigators investigated the situation, but did not find any suspect in the apartment, but did find shell casings and a small amount of drugs. This shows that Leopoldstadt is struggling with various violent incidents that put the police and citizens on alert.

Backgrounds and gun ownership in Austria

Austria has one of the loosest gun laws in the EU, which is continually discussed in society given the increasing number of violent crimes and the use of firearms. There are around 2.5 million weapons in circulation - that corresponds to around 30 weapons per 100 inhabitants. Statistics show that there were approximately 305 violent crimes involving firearms recorded in 2022, and there have been 170 murders involving firearms in the last decade. This raises the question of whether stricter gun purchasing and registration laws are needed to prevent such crimes.

There are currently plans to tighten gun laws, which is due to the incidents in Graz, which sparked a similar debate. The proposed changes include raising the minimum age for purchasing guns, longer cooling-off periods and more stringent psychological testing for potential gun owners. These measures appear more necessary than ever, especially in light of the recent incidents in Vienna, which are affecting the sense of security of many people in the city.

The authorities are working to further clarify the background to the current incident. As the investigation progresses, questions remain as to how such tragedies can be prevented in the future. In times when society is striving for security more than ever, new regulations and a more stringent approach to gun ownership are urgently needed. Vienna's urban society is closely following developments and hopes for the long-awaited changes that will come soon.

For further information about the events in Leopoldstadt and the ongoing investigations, read the reporting from RND and Vienna.at. Information about firearms legislation in Austria can be found at Contrast.at.