The attack took place at Schwedenplatz in the center of Vienna, in an area where, among other things, there is a synagogue. Eyewitnesses say that several shots were fired at the synagogue just before 8 pm on Monday night.
According to the national broadcaster Örf, a police officer who kept watch outside the synagogue must be critically injured. Several others must have been injured.
Several people have died in the shooting, says a TV reporter from the channel Örf on a live broadcast, and refers to police officers. A spokesman for the ambulance service in Vienna confirms that one person was killed and that several were injured. It is currently unclear whether the victim is the perpetrator.
The Austrian Minister of the Interior Karl Nehammer denies to the TV channel that there is a terrorist attack in the Austrian capital.
The Minister adds that it is assumed that the shooting was committed by several people.
– Several perpetrators
According to the TV station Puls24, the Ministry of the Interior in Austria states that an attacker has been arrested. Kronen Zeitung writes that there will be more perpetrators at large.
The newspaper Kronen Zeitung writes that one of the perpetrators allegedly wore a bomb belt and blew himself up.
An eyewitness, who will remain anonymous, tells broadcaster ORF that he heard something resembling an explosion. Then he saw a person running and shooting wildly around himself with automatic weapons.
– He ran towards Schwedenplatz and continued to shoot wildly there. Then the police came and shot.
Ask people to stay away from the center
Police in Vienna are asking people to stay away from the city center.
The police inform on Twitter that there have been several exchanges of fire in the center of Vienna. Some Austrian media also report shooting in several places. It is currently unclear what connection – if any – this has with the shooting at the synagogue.
According to the news agency Reuters, one of the leaders of the Jewish community writes on Twitter that it has not yet been clarified whether the attack was aimed at the synagogue. The leader points out that the synagogue and associated offices were closed at the time of the attack.
The news agency Ap is in the same situation, and writes of initial reports that the attack was aimed at the synagogue has not been verified.
Shots fired in the Inner City district – there are persons injured – KEEP AWAY from all public places or public Transport – don't share any Videos or Fotos!
— POLIZEI WIEN (@LPDWien) November 2, 2020
Source: nrk.no
