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Shock in Penzing: tram under fire – perpetrators arrested!
A tram was shot at in Vienna-Penzing; The suspected perpetrator, a 36-year-old Pole, was arrested.
Shock in Penzing: tram under fire – perpetrators arrested!
In a disturbing incident that took place on Friday in Vienna-Penzing, a tram on line 52 was shot at with a projectile. The projectile, which came from a small-caliber long gun, penetrated a window, flew through the passenger cabin and exited through the opposite window. Fortunately, the passengers were not injured, which many consider to be very fortunate, as things could have been worse at that time today.at reported.
Police were called to the incident around 5 p.m. and arrested a 36-year-old Polish suspect a short time later. He was in a nearby coffee house, where the police took him into custody. The suspect confessed and described his action as “stupid”. meinkreis.at described in detail.
Investigations and arrests
The police cordoned off the crime scene for several hours and searched neighboring houses, which also required the support of heavy emergency services. A long gun and numerous cartridge cases were seized during the searches. The suspect had owned this weapon legally, but the investigation revealed that he had a history of substance abuse.
What is particularly noteworthy is that the man had 2.2 per mille of alcohol and drugs in his blood when he was arrested. This raises the question of whether these factors played a role in the crime. He is now being held in custody on suspicion of attempted murder, although the court's decision is not yet final.
Crime in Vienna
The incident reflects a worrying development as crime in Vienna is on the rise overall. Around 528,000 crimes were reported in 2023, which is the highest level since 2016. Over a third of these crimes occur in Vienna alone. Drug-related crime is also a big issue: around 35,400 drug-related crimes were reported in the same year, which shows an increase compared to previous years, he said statista.com.
The police remain an important factor for public safety in this tense situation, even though surveys show that 77% of Austrians have trust in the police. The use of heavily armed forces in incidents like this shows that the authorities are taking serious measures to ensure the safety of citizens. The case will certainly remain in the public eye for some time and will once again trigger the discussion about safety and crime on the streets of Vienna.