Bloody riots at Yppenplatz: Two men convicted!

Bloody riots at Yppenplatz: Two men convicted!

On July 14, 2024, a brutal incident occurred at Yppenplatz in Vienna-Ottakring that stirred emotions and continues to resonate to this day. In this busy square, in the immediate vicinity of the large fountain market, three people were attacked by two men. According to the public prosecutor's office, the crime is suspected of attempted murder. The defendants, Abdalahe A. (21) from Libya and Youssef B. (29) from Algeria, face serious allegations after two victims were injured by gunfire in the incident, while a third was injured by a knife attack. Today reports that one of the defendants, Abdalahe A., confessed to firing four shots, but emphasized that he did not act with the intent to kill.

The trial lasted several days at the regional court, with defense lawyers arguing that this was a spontaneous escalation in an already tense situation. Youssef B. simply described the knife attack as a “threat”. At the trial, however, the two main victims, Ibrahim K. (23) and Khaled G. (19), were quite silent and could hardly remember what happened. An uninvolved witness, Ahmad J. (48), who heard shots and observed the crime, but was unable to name the perpetrators, caused additional excitement. SN reports that an expert also testified in court. He described the medical consequences of the attack, including the need for surgery to remove a projectile.

Shots from close range

Many details remained unclear on the first day of the trial, but the jury's skill came into consideration as they ultimately decided on intentional grievous bodily harm. Abdalahe A. was ultimately sentenced to seven years in prison, while Youssef B. received a five-year prison sentence. Both also had to answer for drug trafficking. In the course of the investigation, intensive contacts between the defendants and drug-related crime were uncovered; they make their living selling cannabis. This also seems to have been the starting point for the escalation of the confrontation at Yppenplatz.

The shootings and attacks occurred in broad daylight, underscoring the dangerous nature of the acts. According to the public prosecutor, disputes over drugs were the trigger for Abdalahe A. to fire a pistol at the men who owed him money. This dramatic development was also documented by surveillance camera footage. Federal Criminal Police Office then gives an overview of the crime statistics, which show that such attacks have a serious impact on public safety.

Conclusions and further investigations

The verdicts are now final, and the prosecutor did not object to the jury's decisions. The incidents around Yppenplatz give food for thought, not only with regard to crime, but also with regard to the drug problem that affects many young people. The mothers complain about the dangers in their neighborhood while the city should pay more attention to safety issues.